2.5 million pilgrims in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia-Regional, Economics, 1/7/2006

Despite the announcement made by the Saudi authorities that it had spent billions of dollars to improve the conditions for receiving Muslim pilgrims, with the introduction of public health utilities and new constructed roads, however, incidents have increased with the increasing number of pilgrims which doubled 11 folds during the 15 past years to 2.5 million pilgrims.

The Saudi minister of interior prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz announced a plan to deploy a security force of 60,000 men that has to "anticipate the occurrence of any event and of any magnitude." He stressed that his country has no information of expected armed attacks.

However, the set Saudi plan does not only state to be ready for armed attacks, rather challenging potential health risks that might be borne by pilgrims coming from Asia, especially under the spread of the Bird Flu virus.

Previous Stories:
  20 pilgrims killed in hotel collapse in Mecca   (1/6/2006)
  Saudi Arabia: al-Adha holiday is on January 10th   (1/2/2006)
  Muqtada al-Sader performs al-Haj rituals in Saudi Arabia   (12/31/2005)
  Saudi preparations for Haj rituals amid fear of disease   (12/26/2005)
  Saudi preparations for Haj rituals amid fear of disease   (12/26/2005)
  Saudi Arabia builds King Abdullah city for $26 billion   (12/21/2005)
  High oil prices boost Saudi Arabia budget surplus   (12/14/2005)
  Riyadh wins support for joining WTO   (10/29/2005)

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