41.   The UN sanctions committee granted an exemption on Wednesday for Libyan pilgrims to travel by air to Jeddah from Libya but only on board Egypt Air planes.

42.   Rayan said Wednesday that Egypt Air would sent its first flights on Thursday to transport Libyan pilgrims from Tripoli and Benghazi directly to Jeddah.

43.   Saudi officials, who have said they would receive Libyan pilgrims however they arrive, kept silent on the arrival of the plane.

44.   Saudi government officials, who had said they would receive Libyan pilgrims however they arrived, allowed the aircraft to return to Tripoli on Thursday in a further violation.

45.   Taken by surprise after a reported assurance given by Kadhafi to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday, Egypt decided to delay its air bridge for Libyan pilgrims.

46.   The first Egyptian plane carrying Libyan pilgrims, under a temporary exemption to the embargo granted by the UN sanctions committee, arrived in Jeddah on Friday.