SAUDI ARABIA-ISLAM HAJ/PILGRIMS/IS Haj pilgrims say important to show unity against Islamic State

Record ID: 189538

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA-ISLAM HAJ/PILGRIMS/IS Haj pilgrims say important to show unity against Islamic State
  • Date: 3rd October 2014
  • Summary: MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA (OCTOBER 03, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF 'THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS WALKING ON THE ROAD TOWARDS MOUNT ARAFAT STREET SIGN WITH ARABIC AND ENGLISH WRITING SAYING 'ARAFAT STARTS HERE'. PILGRIM SPEAKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE)(English) MOHAMMED ALI,PAKISTANI PILGRIM, SAYING: "Show the strength of our unity ...the people will not destroy us very easily. It is very important to show the unity of your strength." VARIOUS OF 'THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS WALKING ON THE ROAD TOWARDS MOUNT ARAFAT CLOSE OF STREET SIGN WITH DIFFERENT LANGUAGES READING 'NAMIRAH MOSQUE' VARIOUS OF PILGRIMS (SOUNDBITE)(Arabic) RA'ED AL-KHOZA'AI, SAUDI PILGRIM, SAYING: "The Sheikh in Nimira told us today that they [IS] don't represent Islam and Islam is innocent of them, we follow our preachers and we follow the Saudi government which opposes them." VARIOUS OF PILGRIMS AT ARAFAT STREET SIGN WITH ARABIC AND ENGLISH WRITING 'ARAFAT ENDS HERE' VARIOUS OF HELICOPTERS IN THE SKY
  • Embargoed: 18th October 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA9NXGGJABC81IOLDZMLRIWU64S
  • Story Text: Muslim worshippers views were mixed towards the Islamic State and it's militants on Friday (October 3), as millions thronged Mount Arafat amid heightened security by thousands of Saudi security personnel deployed to keep order at the world's largest annual Muslim gathering and prevent any political gatherings.
    The annual pilgrimage, which attracted some 3 million people this year, including 1.4 million from outside the kingdom, comes amidst deep concern over the threat posed by Islamist militants who regularly threaten to target key allies of the United States, including Saudi Arabia.
    In the past, Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims driven to air political views at haj were the main threat for Saudi security forces keen to keep the ritual free from politics.
    But the rise of political Islam since Arab Spring protests in 2011 has focused attention on Islamist Sunni groups as a potential source of frictions.
    Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and birthplace of Islam, has funneled cash and arms to rebels fighting Assad but has also opposed Islamist militants within the insurgency.
    The kingdom views the self-styled Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) that has captured swathes of land in Syria and Iraq a terrorist group. Last week, Saudi air force planes were pounding militant targets in Syria in U.S.-led air strikes.
    While a systematic poll of the faithful's views is impossible at the haj, a hectic journey that brings millions from around the world to Mecca, a random questioning of pilgrims showed sentiment to be divided over the militants who have been dominating news since they captured Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, in July.
    In Arafa's Namira mosque the Friday sermon given by the local preacher included a reference to the Islamic state fights and said that "Islam is innocent of their actions", according to pilgrims who attended the sermon.
    "The Shiekh in Nimira told us today that they [IS] don't represent Islam and Islam is innocent of them, we follow our preachers and we follow the Saudi government which opposes them," Raaed al-khozai a Saudi government employee during haj told Reuters.
    As this year's haj commenced, security appeared to be much tighter than before with more men in uniform deployed in holy sites and frequent vehicle check points.
    According to ministry spokesman Major General Mansour al-Turki, the kingdom had boosted its border security as a precaution, allocating more security personnel and National Guardsmen to its borders with Iraq.

  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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