Fingerprinted illegal expat pilgrims fear apprehension

Illegal expatriate pilgrims here fear they might be arrested and deported for sneaking into Makkah to perform Haj.
A total of 5,000 illegal pilgrims have been arrested since the beginning of this year’s Haj.
Security agencies on Thursday continued to check the identity and permits of pilgrims at the holy sites and various Makkah exit points.
Hundreds of expatriates have already been fingerprinted in Mina and at the Grand Mosque over the Haj period. Some expatriates were caught while sacrificing animals.
The security agencies have installed fingerprinting devices in small patrol jeeps, which has made it easier for officers to drive along narrow roads and in crowded areas at the holy sites.
There were rumors that security officials were stopping people leaving Makkah for Taif and Jeddah. However, regular commuters on these routes said officers were checking to see whether pilgrims were smuggling sacrificial meat from the holy city.
Col. Mohammed Al-Bassami, commander of the prevention of illegal Haj force, said 5,000 illegal pilgrims have been arrested so far.
Expatriates caught at checkpoints are now worried that the Passport Department will summon them soon for deportation. Others fear they might be arrested when they renew their iqamas or apply for exit and reentry visas.
Some diplomatic missions have started receiving information from their nationals involved in these cases. Some expatriates have said they entered Makkah illegally to help their parents perform Haj.