Another Oh-For-Petes-Sake Alert from Britain. From Arab News, with thanks to Sr. Soph:
RIYADH, 22 December 2005 “” British police will have a close look at the security arrangements in Makkah and Madinah during this year’s Haj in order to gain first hand knowledge of the massive operation.
The British Embassy announced here on Tuesday that Jawaid Akhtar, an assistant chief constable with West Yorkshire Police (WYP), has been invited to Kingdom by the Saudi Ministry of Interior.
“He wants to see first hand how the Saudi police manage over two million pilgrims coming from around the world for the annual pilgrimage to Makkah,” an embassy official said.
Speaking to Arab News from London, Akhtar said: “The Saudi authorities have policed this massive annual undertaking with great success.”
A little background to this great success:
Ten Pilgrims Die in Minor Stampede: Witnesses (2005)
Hundreds killed in Hajj stampede (244 to be exact, in 2004)
14 pilgrims trampled to death as thousands gather for haj ritual (2003)
Hajj tragedy fails to stop faithful (overview; notes that 1,426 pilgrims were killed in 1990 alone)