EGYPT INCREASES SECURITY MEASURES AT SUEZ

CAIRO [MENL] -- Egyptian authorities have increased security measures to prevent an Al Qaida attack on the Suez Canal.

Egyptian officials said authorities have imposed new restrictions to ensure protection of ships that use the canal. They said the measures would ban the approach of fishing vessels near the canal.

The measures were also meant to protect ships in or at the entrances to the Suez Canal, officials said. They said the measures were formulated in 2004 before a recent alert throughout the Middle East of an Al Qaida-aligned attack.

Officials said authorities have not raised the level of alert around the Suez Canal. But they said ships would be banned from sounding their horns between Ismailiya and Port Said.