Posted on 10/04/2015 9:22:15 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
There's strange news coming — and being redacted — from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Heath about the death toll of Saturday's Hajj stampede in Mina.
As the baffling fatality numbers have shown, this is the worst disaster to strike Hajj since 1990. But just how large those numbers are is a debate still raging days after the accident.
The ministry's Arabic website said Tuesday some 4,000 people died in the crush. The announcement's since been wiped from the page, but not before people (including Al Bawaba) managed to capture a screen shot. See it below.
Here's the translation:
The Saudi Deputy Minister of Health Mohamed Aldowale stated that the ministry handed over a photo album with photos of 4,173 pilgrims who passed away in Mena accident, and the process of Identifying the bodies has started.
He also added that the big number of death was due to heat, suffocation and stampede, according to the report by the Minister of Health.
The primary statistics indicated 769 deaths however our final numbers have increased to 4173 deaths after the ministry received several more bodies yesterday.
Despite all the rumors and news in the media, the ministry would like to reconfirm that this site and its social media handles are the only reliable and formal sources for official statements.
With the official death count tallied by the Saudi government so far floating around 800, that's a miles-long discrepancy not lost on social media users. Here's what one said to Vice Minister of Heath Hamad al-Dhewalia's Twitter handle, with a screenshot of the ministry announcement attached.
(TWEET-AT-LINK)
Translation: Hamad al-Dhewalia, is this from the ministry website? The statement is attributed to you, and the site looks like the ministry's official one. and the site looks as the formal one.
Between this and US's foggy statements on the Syrian rebel train-and-equip program, what's going on with government pages this week?
The muzzie Rapture?
No doubt.
I think that the new number is fantastic! 700 to over 4000 ???? That just made my day!!!! I tried to find good photos for my desktop of the trampled muzzies but guess I will have to stick to the Grand mosque crane collapse photo I got with about 30 bloodied and dead muzzies....If you would like a copy of the photo(very graphic) just e-mail me and I’ll send it off to ya! The pictures have been getting censored quite a bit on line ...I was lucky to have grabbed this when I did. And don’t give me the “oh you should not rejoice on someone else’s misery crap” screw these followers of a militaristic theocracy....we need about 999,999,999 smoked before I’ll be happy.
And why do the Saudis get a pass? The Hajj is a huge cash cow for them, and they obviously cut corners on safety to maximize their profits.
I wanna know exactly how many mussie scum died!!!
What pass?I do not understand your query . The saudi’s are just another tribe of sandies who are nothing without the oil...those in the monarch’s family are as decadent as anyone.....I am just elated that there are supposedly 4000 plus dead muzzies instead of 700...who cares how just keep letting the number increase ....
The primary statistics indicated 769 deaths however our final numbers have increased to 4173 deaths after the ministry received several more bodies yesterday.She was a big woman, her name was Bertha.
I have been watching this for days. There has been no repetition of the 4000 figure. Times of Israel has posted a figure 10/8 of 1399. This is based on collecting numbers from almost 20 countries, shown at this link. The Iranians continue to be royally pissed, reporting well over 400 dead and a lot of important figures. They seem to think it was a plot. A Nigerian professor reported that as his group was approaching the stoning pillars, a group of Egyptians made a U turn and started back toward them. There was not attempt made by Saudi security to turn them around, and then the crush took place. Normally, stoners are supposed to continue forward and out and not return the way they came. However, pilgrims had already walked 13 kilometers in 100 or 110+ heat, and the Egyptian tents were much closer by returning the way they came.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/hajj-stampede-death-toll-jumps-to-1399/
Now for my conspiracy theory. Just a THEORY. Egypt and SA are allies, Iran is the enemy. Encourage the Egyptian group to turn around, withdraw security just as a large group of Iranian pilgrims is approaching. Let nature take its course. Then again, sometimes shit just happens??? Meanwhile it was reported today that the king has dementia. The government is probably in disarray, with much hidden plotting, scheming, and power grabbing, while trying to maintain a war in Yemen where a second large wedding party just got bombed.
You’re probably right about the 4000 number being wrong.
The AP is reporting 1400+ this morning, making it the biggest death toll of any hajj event.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.