JEDDAH, 18 February — The Haj security command has set out a comprehensive plan to monitor overcrowding of pilgrims and hazards at the Jamrat area, according to Maj. Gen. Ali Al-Bar, deputy director of public security and commander of the Haj security.
“We have set up a joint system with the participation of various Haj-related agencies such as the Haj Ministry, the Civil Defense, the Saudi Red Crescent Society and the health services,” he told Al-Riyadh Arabic daily.
“We will work as one team to control the movement of pilgrims at the Jamrat by setting out schedules for the stoning by the various groups of pilgrims,” he said.
Security authorities have started preventing small vehicles from entering Makkah and other holy sites from yesterday. They have set up roadblocks to check the vehicles. There are at least four such checkpoints on the Jeddah-Makkah Expressway.
Police arrested a group of expatriates who tried to sneak into the holy sites in unauthorized vehicles without Haj permits. The expatriates were later sent back to their respective places after imposing fines up to SR10,000.
