Pickpocketing 'pilgrims' nabbed
19/12/2007 18:39  - (SA)  

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Politics left out of haj Muslims begin pilgrimage Pilgrims pack Mecca 1.5m faithful in Mecca for haj Kaaba draped with $5m cover Muslim women need men for haj

Riyadh - Saudi police dressed as pilgrims seized around 100 pickpockets similarly disguised who were mingling with the two million Muslims performing the haj, Saudi media said on Wednesday.

"Around 100 pickpockets wearing ihram clothing (two pieces of white fabric traditionally to be used later as a shroud) were arrested by security services around Jebel ar-Rahma," (Mount Arafat) reported the Okaz daily.

About 1 000 police also dressed in the traditional white robes and moving among the pilgrims on Tuesday arrested the thieves who were caught red-handed, the newspaper added.

The massive crowd had gathered at the site in western Saudi Arabia to spend the day praying and asking for God's forgiveness, in a symbolic wait for the final judgement.

- SAPA

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