Muslim pilgrims reach Saudi Arabia for haj<\/p>\n
More than 571,000 Muslim pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia
\nfor the annual hajj pilgrimage which starts next month, a senior
\nofficial announced Sunday.<\/p>\n
About 557,000 of the pilgrims flew in, while the rest arrived
\nby sea and land until Saturday, Major-General Abdul Aziz Sajini,
\npassports department head, said in a statement to the Saudi Press
\nAgency.<\/p>\n
The last day for entry into the kingfom is five days before
\nthe hajj climax which is expected to fall this year on February
\n11, depending on lunar sightings.<\/p>\n
Sajini gave no breakdown of the pilgrims' nationalities but
\nIndonesia has the largest hajj quota of 200,000 this year,
\nfollowed by 130,000 from Pakistan, 116,000 Indians, 103,000
\nTurks, 91,000 Iranians and 88,000 Egyptians.<\/p>\n
The governor of Mecca, Prince Abdul Majeed bin Abdul Aziz, was
\nscheduled later Sunday to tour Mecca, Islam's holiest place and
\nsite of the Grand Mosque.<\/p>\n
Saudi Arabia is gearing up for around 2.5 million pilgrims
\nfrom inside the kingdom and from abroad, amid a looming U.S. war
\nagainst neighboring Iraq.<\/p>\n
All Muslims are required to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, one
\nof the five pillars of Islam, at least once in their lifetime, if
\nthey have the means and physical strength to do so.<\/p>\n
Last year's hajj attracted more than two million pilgrims.<\/p>\n
Saudi Arabia has pledged that security forces will maintain
\nlaw and order, particularly in light of the tense situation over
\nIraq.<\/p>\n
Last year, Saudi authorities deployed tens of thousands of
\npolice, army, national guards and special forces in the biggest
\nsecurity exercise during the hajj which came a few months after
\nthe September 11, 2001 attacks. -- AFP<\/p>",
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