Saudi warns against rallies in Haj
5 Oct 2012 11:27 PM GMT
A Saudi security chief warned on Thursday that the Muslim kingdom will not tolerate any attempt to exploit the Haj pilgrimage to stage political rallies, as Iranians have in the past, provoking deadly clashes with police.
‘We will not allow any attempt to exploit this gathering for aims that are not related to the rituals,’ said General Saad al-Khelyawi, the commander of Haj security forces.
‘All attempts to threaten the security of the Haj and pilgrims will be dealt with firmness,’ he said, as pilgrims began to arrive in Saudi Arabia for the world’s largest annual gathering which peaks around 25 October.
He was responding to a question in a media briefing about reported calls from Iran to stage a ‘repudiation of polytheists’ rally, a ritual promoted by the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to denounce the West and Israel.
Saudi security forces have confronted Iranian pilgrims several times in the past for holding anti-US and anti-Israeli protests.
In 1987, police efforts to stifle such a demonstration sparked clashes in which 402 people died, including 275 Iranians. Iranian pilgrims have since held their rallies in tents without provoking clashes with security forces in the Sunni-dominated kingdom.
‘We will not allow any attempt to exploit this gathering for aims that are not related to the rituals,’ said General Saad al-Khelyawi, the commander of Haj security forces.
‘All attempts to threaten the security of the Haj and pilgrims will be dealt with firmness,’ he said, as pilgrims began to arrive in Saudi Arabia for the world’s largest annual gathering which peaks around 25 October.
He was responding to a question in a media briefing about reported calls from Iran to stage a ‘repudiation of polytheists’ rally, a ritual promoted by the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to denounce the West and Israel.
Saudi security forces have confronted Iranian pilgrims several times in the past for holding anti-US and anti-Israeli protests.
In 1987, police efforts to stifle such a demonstration sparked clashes in which 402 people died, including 275 Iranians. Iranian pilgrims have since held their rallies in tents without provoking clashes with security forces in the Sunni-dominated kingdom.
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