AT LEAST 90,000 SAUDIS GUARD AGAINST HAJ UNREST
ABU DHABI Ñ Saudi Arabia has deployed more than 90,000 police,
military units and volunteers in a massive operation to ensure order during
the current Haj pilgrimage.
One concern, officials said, is that attackers disguised as pilgrims,
would seek to bring anthrax into Saudi Arabia. Police and military units are
inspecting documents brought in by pilgrims to check for anthrax. They said
Saudi authorities have conducted an exercise to test their ability to detect
and respond to anthrax.
The Saudi security force is meant to prevent unrest by more than 2
million Muslim pilgrims already in Mecca, the holiest city in Islam. Saudi
officials said they expect 2.5 million visitors to Mecca, the largest
pilgrimage ever.
The Saudi security force has focused on ensuring order in Mecca and in
preventing suspected agitators from entering the city. Thousands of special
forces are guarding military facilities where members of the Saudi royal
family and their guests abroad are staying for the Haj.
Leading members of the royal family, such as Crown Prince Abdullah Bin
Abdul Aziz and Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan have already arrived in
Mecca for the Haj. Saudi King Fahd is scheduled to arrive in Mecca on
Tuesday.
Thousands of police are deployed along the roads leading to Mecca as
well as to the entrance of the city. Officials said the security presence
will reach its peak on Wednesday, when the Haj culminates with a five-day
period of ritual.
Police and military units are also heavily deployed around the Grand
Mosque, in downtown Mecca. The mosque was the target of a takeover by Saudi
dissident clerics in 1978.
On late Sunday, a Saudi gunman burst into a mosque and engaged in a
shootout with Saudi security forces in Taif. Saudi media reports said the
gunman, who was later arrested, fired more than 350 bullets at police. He
escaped the mosque but was later arrested. Officials said the gun battle was
sparked by unrest in the city after the destruction of buildings constructed
without a license.
On Friday, the chief cleric of the Grand Mosque, Sheik Osama Khayyat,
told 2 million worshipers to avoid any attempt to foment unrest.
Authorities have closed the kingdom to Haj pilgrims. They said the last
pilgrim flights to Saudi Arabia were over the weekend.
Officials said pilgrims are being warned in the media as well as upon
arrival that authorities will not tolerate any unauthorized demonstrations,
including marches in support of the kingdom. The officials said a key
concern is that pilgrims will try to demonstrate against the United States.
