 RIYADH - Saudi Arabia is ready to handle any outbreak of sectarian trouble between Sunni and Shia Muslims at the Haj pilgrimage later this month, the interior minister said. “There is no concern about this since everyone is coming to perform haj and I think the fear of God will be enough of a deterrent,” Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz told reporters in comments carried in state media. “But we have taken all security precautions and we do not discount any incident. We are completely ready, but hope we don’t have to use our capabilities,” he added.
| "There will be no riots, terrorist acts, stampedes, protests, loose wimmins, lightning strikes or cyclones to disturb the Haj this year!" |
| I've got the stones concession. Primo Makkah River Rocks. I'm gonna be sooo rich. |
Around 1.5 million Muslims from around the world are expected to arrive in Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks for the Haj pilgrimage which begins in late December. Security is usually tight around the annual rites, which have in the past seen political protests by pilgrims from Iran and other countries. |