MAKKAH, 6 February 2003 — Interior Minister Prince Naif yesterday warned terrorist organizations wanting to undermine security during the Haj season that they will be countered “with an iron fist.”
Addressing a press conference here after inspecting Haj arrangements in Makkah, Mina and other holy sites, Prince Naif said his ministry has taken maximum security precautions for the Haj.
“Our security precautionary measures for Haj this year are of the highest order,” said Prince Naif, who is also chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee.
The interior minister also disclosed that the number of Al-Qaeda suspects in the Kingdom does not exceed 250, adding that they are all still under investigation.
Prince Naif said the move to separate prisoners from the public security department was an independent decision, which was taken after extensive studies.
“It was not taken as a result of foreign pressure,” he insisted.
Asked whether the government would open its borders to receive Iraqi refugees in case war breaks out, Prince Naif said the Saudi border is now open only for receiving Iraqi pilgrims.
“If the war breaks out, the Saudi government will take a decision on this matter,” he added.
However, he emphasized that the government will not allow any Iraqi to enter the Kingdom illegally.
Prince Naif earlier met with the heads of the Tawafa organizations at Umm Al-Qura University auditorium and urged them to exert maximum efforts in the service of pilgrims.
“I have read your slogan ‘service to pilgrims is an honor for us’. I would like to add one more word ‘service to pilgrims is a duty and honor for us.’ I believe that this should be the slogan of all Saudis in this country, who have got the opportunity to serve the guests of God,” the prince said.
“The pilgrims should return to their countries with a good impression about the Kingdom and its people, as well as about the Haj services — including accommodation, healthcare and transport. We should also make sure that they performed Haj duties with ease and that no Saudi exploited them. The services offered to them must be worth much more than what they paid for,” he stressed.
Prince Naif said he favored the proposal to transform the experimental Tawafa organizations into permanent bodies. “The Supreme Haj Committee, the Haj Ministry and other related agencies are seriously studying this matter,” the minister said, and expressed his hope that a decision on this matter would be taken by the next Haj season.
There was another proposal calling for the review of the pilgrim accommodation system and Prince Naif promised that the matter will be discussed with the Haj Ministry and foreign Haj missions, with the sole aim of improving housing facilities for pilgrims.
Prince Naif also distributed Haj medals to Hatem Qadi, deputy Haj minister, Adnan Katib, chairman of the Tawafa organization for South Asian pilgrims, and Azmi Ahmed, head of the Malaysian Haj mission, for best performance during the Haj last year.
Later, Prince Naif inspected a parade of security forces taking part in this year’s Haj operation. He was also briefed on the Haj security plan. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
