Pilgrims Cheated

JEDDAH, 25 February 2003 — A group of 100 pilgrims from Madinah, who were allegedly cheated by a fake Haj service company, said the Haj Ministry has turned a deaf ear to their complaints, Al-Yaum daily reported yesterday. Mohsen Al-Hafnawi, a spokesman for the pilgrims, said a ministry official had told them that it would not be able to take action against the company because the pilgrims failed to produce a contract they should have signed with the firm. Hafnawi added that he and 100 other pilgrims each gave SR1,200 to the company, believing it would not cheat pilgrims.