JEDDAH, 9 January 2007 — It makes you wonder the lengths some people go for money. A Nigerian man was arrested in Makkah on charges stemming from his 12 years posing as a Muslim with a forged work/residency permit and stealing from devout people as they prayed in the holiest mosque of Islam. According to a report in yesterday’s Okaz daily, the man had not only stolen from the faithful but also formed his own pick-pocketing gang and invested his ill-gotten gains in an unlicensed local restaurant that was running a small-time gambling operation for his friends. He was also assisting others in obtaining fake visas to join his gang that operated between Makkah and Madinah, approximately 330 kilometers to the north. OK, let’s count the violations, shall we? One: Being a non-Muslim in the “Muslims Only” parts of the holy cities. Two: Living illegally in the Kingdom. Three: Possessing fake documents. Four: Running an unlicensed business. Five: Aiding and abetting other illegal residents. Six: Running a gambling operation. And, finally, seven: Pick-pocketing. Talk about many layers of wrong. Saudi Arabia has a reputation of having some pretty strict laws on stuff like this. The guy should probably get “lawyered up,” because he’s in for quite a ride... and he’s only got two hands.