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Arabia
At Least 244 Killed in Haj Pilgrimage Stampede
2004-02-01
Ahhh... Tradition!
Reuters
At least 244 Muslim pilgrims were crushed to death and the same number injured in a human tide during a devil-stoning ritual at the climax of the annual haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia Sunday. "There were 244 pilgrims who died in the incident in Jamarat and 244 who were injured," Pilgrimage Affairs and Endowments Minister Iyad bin Amin Madani told reporters without giving a breakdown of nationalities. The disaster happened as two million pilgrims, wrapped in white robes, flocked to Jamarat Bridge in Mena to throw stones at pillars representing the devil on the Muslim Eid al-Adha feast of sacrifice. "Some pilgrims were not organized and there was a crush this morning by people carrying personal belongings which caused obstacles (to movement)," the minister said.
They say that if you keep repeating the same acts over and over, expecting a different result each time, it's a sign you're nuts. This happens every year. Either they're nuts, or the "sacrifice" is human sacrifice...
He added that another 272 pilgrims had died of natural causes during the haj, which all able-bodied Muslims must perform once in a lifetime if they can afford it.
Guess they weren't that able-bodied...
Madani said the movement of pilgrims to Jamarat Bridge had been smoothly controlled between midnight Saturday to 8:30 am Sunday before the start of the crush.
At which point it stopped being controlled...
"I assure you that all the preparations are always made, but we don’t always know God’s intentions. What happened will be evaluated," he said.
"Just like we did last year. And the year before. And the year before that..."
The haj has seen deadly stampedes almost every year. In 1990, 1,426 pilgrims were crushed to death in a pedestrian tunnel at the holy city of Mecca. Last year 14 people were trampled to death. In 2001, 35 people died in a stampede at the bridge and 119 were killed in a similar incident in 1998. Pilgrims descended on the main pillar from all directions on Sunday, shouting "God is greatest!." Onlookers chanted "Harder! Harder!" as the faithful stoned the devil.
And trampled all over each other...
Muslims believe the pillar marks the spot where the devil appeared to biblical patriarch Abraham.
The cynic or maybe its the pragmatist in me says can’t we persuade them that they have to have this ceremony every week.
Posted by:phil_b

#14  I rather think Dr Who avoids the 7th Century in his phonebooth excursions. Prolly reads rooters dispatches.

Can you say "lemming"?

I knew you could. Just add, as Bro Dave D points out, barbarian and backward and brutal. Unfortunately, they breed far too quickly for the annual hajj insanity to have much effect. Something stronger is called for, methinks.
Posted by: ,comma   2004-2-1 5:19:44 PM  

#13  Another Easter Tragedy, 244 die at St. Peters.

Opppss.... Sorry wrong religon.
Posted by: Shipman   2004-2-1 4:57:26 PM  

#12  BBC had an article too:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3448779.stm
apparently another 272 have died of natural causes (e.g., heat stroke, exhaustion)
Posted by: mhw   2004-2-1 4:11:21 PM  

#11  AP had an article on this too... some highlights:


Last year, 14 pilgrims were trampled to death during the ritual and 35 died in a 2001 stampede. In 1998, 180 pilgrims died.
A bumper crop this year


The annual hajj, which began Thursday, climaxed Saturday as some 2 million Muslim pilgrims listened to Saudi Arabia's top cleric denounce terrorists, calling them an affront to Islam. However, he defended the kingdom's strict interpretation of the faith.

Sheik Abdul Aziz al-Sheik said in his sermon there were those who claim to be holy warriors, but were shedding Muslim blood and destabilizing the nation.
So go kill non-moslems


Al-Sheik also criticized the international community, accusing it of attacking Wahhabism, the strict interpretation of Islam that is applied in Saudi Arabia: "This country is based on this religion and will remain steadfast on it."
That old-time religion is good enough for you and me


Calling America "the greatest Satan," Egyptian pilgrim Youssef Omar threw pebbles at one pillar where someone scrawled "USA."
Now if America were the great Satan and was into terrorism of it's own, what better time for testing a nuke or two.....


Posted by: Mercutio   2004-2-1 1:53:54 PM  

#10  Given Islam's basic tenets, I think we shouldn't criticize this particular activity. This is 244 fewer jihdists we have to kill later on.
Posted by: badanov   2004-2-1 1:30:56 PM  

#9  Savages. Primative, superstitious, ignorant bloody savages.
Posted by: Dave D.   2004-2-1 12:31:53 PM  

#8  Pilgrimage Affairs and Endowments Minister
How do they tell what with the Bourka and all?
Posted by: Shipman   2004-2-1 11:47:03 AM  

#7  Holy Mecca now has a holy mosh pit. Peace be unto the trampled.
Posted by: dennisw   2004-2-1 11:41:41 AM  

#6  Someone asked the other day about King Fadh's health. He is well enough to have been on hand for the stampede: Fahd, Abdullah Arrive in Mina.
Posted by: Gasse Katze   2004-2-1 9:53:41 AM  

#5  mhw, maybe someone counted wrong and there were ONLY 243 deaths.:)
It's easy for Muslims to say insha'Allah, but the 'Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' and his organizers must bear some responsibility.
Posted by: Gasse Katze   2004-2-1 9:47:12 AM  

#4  I don't believe it. 244 isn't divisible by 19
Posted by: mhw   2004-2-1 9:12:08 AM  

#3  Oh my God, the Catholics are such pikers when it comes to this. Easter morning there has to be who knows how many people in St. Peters Square for the Papal Address and nobody, I mean nobody even stubs their toe.
Posted by: Cheddarhead   2004-2-1 8:59:16 AM  

#2  who could have guessed this would happen eh, maybe its just me but did others see this coming when the gathering started and burst out laughing when they heard anout this 'stampede', looks like the 'religion of peace' has done it again.
Posted by: Jon Shep U.K   2004-2-1 8:24:35 AM  

#1  Damn the good luck.

dorf
Posted by: Anonymous   2004-2-1 8:21:41 AM  

00:00