“I have full confidence in their capabilities and expertise,” he added.

Addressing a meeting of Civil Defense commanders attending this year’s Haj operation, he said: “Our officers will be vigilant against possible dangers threatening the safety of pilgrims and against those who try to undermine the security of pilgrims.”

Al-Tuwaijri reminded Civil Defense commanders about their great responsibility and about possible dangers because of the nature of place and time. “We have to take initiatives to deal with all those dangers in the right time to have the best result.”

He said he was satisfied with the preparations made by Civil Defense forces for Haj. “I can confidently tell the pilgrims that they are in the right hands,” he added. He cautioned the officers against accidents that could occur because of their negligence.

Gen. Al-Tuwaijri congratulated Crown Prince Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, on his new appointment. “The royal decree appointing Prince Naif as crown prince has been widely welcomed.”

He commended Prince Naif’s political wisdom and his ability to deal with difficult situation by taking sound decisions. He praised Maj. Gen. Suleiman Al-Amr for commanding the Haj forces during the past five years and wished all the best to the new commander Maj. Gen. Muhammad Al-Qarni.

Speaking about Prince Naif's tour of the holy sites on Tuesday to inspect Haj arrangements, the Civil Defense chief said it reflects the Saudi government's great concern toward pilgrims and its efforts to help the guests of God perform their Haj rituals with ease and comfort.

In his presentation, Gen. Al-Qarni said his forces have adopted 20 plans to deal with possible dangers during the Haj operation. “We have also readied 20 motorbikes to support our firefighting force.”

He said the department has been providing on-the-job training to new recruits. “Our readiness in Makkah and Madinah has reached 100 percent.”