Posted on 09/25/2015 1:41:52 AM PDT by lbryce
At least 717 people taking part in the Hajj pilgrimage have been killed in a stampede near the Islamic holy city of Mecca, officials in Saudi Arabia say. Another 863 people were injured in the incident at Mina, which occurred as two million pilgrims were taking part in the Hajj's last major rite. It is the deadliest incident to occur during the pilgrimage in 25 years. King Salman has ordered an urgent review of this year's Hajj plans "to improve the level of organisation". The supreme leader of Iran, which lost at least 95 of its citizens in the crush, has criticised Saudi Arabia's preparedness. It is the second disaster to strike Mecca in two weeks, after a crane collapsed at the Grand Mosque, killing 109 people. In pictures: Aftermath of the stampede Accounts from BBC staff in Mina During the Hajj, pilgrims travel to Mina, a large valley about 5km (3 miles) from Mecca, to throw seven stones at pillars called Jamarat, which represent the devil. The pillars stand where Satan is believed to have tempted the Prophet Abraham.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
I'll tell you what wouldn't surprise me. Obama pledging money for the families of the victims...
Geeeez. Do they all have to use the foot bath again? Could cause a scrum at the head of the line...
Any way we can arrange for the Hajj year 'round?
I agree... Great shot of the crowds there. Would have been even better to see something blowing in the breeze... If there was a breeze.. Just to add depth to it.
Yeah, throw stones at Satan, even symbolically, don’t be surprised when your moon god doesn’t have your back, because he IS Satan. Those people are so hosed.
Can we make it to exactly 911?
First that crane collapsed, and now this. Is it just me, or is someone trying to send a message...?
Allahu Akbar!
gee, that’s too bad.
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No Air Jordans were involved in this incident.
I`ll not mince words. I love it, show me more dead moose-limbs!
This is what you get with a bunch of angry muslims with chips on their shoulders.
No one thought of stopping. Just barge right on regardless of who you’re stepping on.
This is what you get with a bunch of angry muslims with chips on their shoulders.
No one thought of stopping. Just barge right on regardless of who you’re stepping on.
How about 911 million
Hush your mouth. We want more lighning strikes, crane collapses, mob stompings, not less.
Repeat after me,
Run haji, run!!
I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more often than it does already. What do they expect is going to happen when you pack in hundreds of thousands of people down narrow, walled in streets with relatively few places to escape? All it takes is one person panicking and the crush is almost guaranteed to be on.
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