Passion Islam I January 2009 ORLD NEWSW I 15
Saudi denies
counter terrorism
operations in Haj
The Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior launch any huge counterterrorism
has denied reports published in a operation,” he said, adding that there The report added, “No four-wheel
Washington-based online newspaper was no intelligence of an attack vehicles were allowed because of
that Saudi officials had launched a targeting the pilgrims. fears of car bombings.”
massive crackdown on Al-Qaeda The Times report stated that this Al-Turki, refuting the claim, said
terrorists who were allegedly planning year’s pilgrimage began on Dec. security forces take part in serving
to attack pilgrims participating in this 6 under the nervous eye of Saudi the pilgrims every year to assure a
year’s Haj. security forces that included 20,000 successful pilgrimage.
The Middle East Times, a sister ground troops, flights of combat “This is not something new. It’s
publication of the Washington Times helicopters and a large number of normal, we do it all the time ... These
which is owned by News World armored vehicles deployed at key types of security measures have been
Communications, carried the report locations. taken well before the Kingdom was
on Dec. 16 quoting unnamed US It added that “technical and other struck by a wave of terrorist attacks
intelligence officials. surveillance was increased” in and in 2003. What’s the big deal?” he
The report said the Saudi around Makkah, and that “the site added.
government’s operation followed was monitored by 10,000 security Referring to a claim that Saudi
alerts that Al-Qaeda planned to launch cameras and Saudi agents mixed counterterrorism operations started
a bloody assault on pilgrims. with the pilgrims. Communication three months ago with preemptive
Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman between Saudi fast reaction and raids on suspected Al-Qaeda cells
for the Ministry of Interior, described special security units was improved and hundreds of arrests, Al-Turki said,
the report as “incorrect.” “We didn’t and capability augmented.” “No such arrests were made.”
Dubai Quran
inf AD
o@passionislam.com
WANT T
Competition
EMAIL US ON
VER
planned
The final stage of the Tenth Edition of men and women categories.
Dubai Quran Competition is planned to be Bumalha said that some new categories
TISE
held from February 14 to 23. including memorization of three sections
O
According to Ibrahim Bumalha, head (Joz) of the holy Quran will be added to the
of the competition’s organizing committee, competition.
the event will be held in the fields of The Dubai Quran Memorization and
memorization and recitation of the holy Recitation Competition is sponsored by the
Quran in two categories for men and Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE
women. He said that there will be two jury and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Muhammad bin
panels made up of 10 Quran scholars for Rashid Al Maktum.

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