JEDDAH, 22 January 2004 — Interior Minister and Chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee Prince Naif reviewed the Haj security plan and urged the officers in uniform to carry out their duties efficiently and responsibly.

“Prince Naif urged the commanders of the various security agencies to rise to the responsibility and carry out their duties sincerely and seriously,” the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday. Saudi authorities have called in additional security forces for Haj duty in order to protect more than two million pilgrims who are expected to perform Haj this year.

“The Kingdom is honored to serve the guests of God, providing them with all facilities to perform their duties in full peace, security and tranquillity,” Prince Naif said.

Iraqi Haj Flights

Higher authorities in the Kingdom have extended the period for receiving Iraqi Haj flights to Dul Hijjah 8 instead of Dul Hijjah 4, Haj Minister Iyad Madani announced on Tuesday.

Speaking to the Saudi News Channel, the minister said the Saudi Embassy in Kuwait had taken measures to speed up issuance of Haj visas to the Iraqi pilgrims.

“They have so far issued 12,000 visas, some 3,000 every day,” he added. Madani said the Iraqi Haj flights would be exempt from all charges including airport and operation fees.

Guest Pilgrims

About 200 pilgrims from different parts of the world, including university professors, intellectuals and Islamic preachers, have been invited to perform Haj this year as guests of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, according to Dr. Muhammad Al-Salim, rector of Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh.

Kaaba Covering

Sheikh Saleh Al-Hosain, head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques Affairs, will hand over the new Kaaba cover to Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Shaibi, senior gatekeeper of the Holy Kaaba, tomorrow. The Kaaba will get its new cover, made of silk and valued at SR20 million, on Dul Hijjah 9, the Day of Arafat.

Yemeni Pilgrims

Saudi Arabia has sent back some 400 Yemeni pilgrims who tried to enter the country through Al-Wadiea border post, ignoring Saudi instructions, Al-Watan reported yesterday. They were told to enter via the Al-Tiwal, Alab and Al-Khadra border posts. An official source told the daily that the Yemeni pilgrims would continue their journey to Makkah after receiving Haj visas from the Saudi Embassy in Sanaa.