MAKKAH — Security forces busted 83 fake Hajj campaigns and turned back about 160,000 residents who wanted to perform Hajj without a permit. Addressing a press conference on Friday, Director of Public Security and Head of the Hajj Security Committee Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Bassami said more than 5,800 violators of residence and work regulations were arrested in Makkah. He stressed that security officers do not face any challenges in Hajj in light of their full readiness and intensified presence in the field. According to Al-Bassami, the security plans approved by the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Hajj, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, for this year were significant in maintaining order. "The general plan for the tasks and responsibilities of public security officers in Hajj, which included raising full readiness to confront everything that affects the breach of security or order and prevent all actions affecting the security and safety of the guests of God." It also included intensified field presence to ensure monitoring of all cases and rapid response to emergency cases as well as preventive measures against the occurrence of crimes of pickpocketing, and any other phenomena affecting the security and safety of the guests of God. The Director of Public Security opined that security men managed with high efficiency the task of Friday prayers, which was one of the challenges due to the presence of the most of pilgrims in Makkah, but for 26,000 pilgrims who remained in Al-Madinah. He noted the intensification of the security presence at the entrances to Makkah and the holy sites to ensure that there are no pilgrims without permits. For his part, the Commander of the Special Emergency Forces at the Presidency of State Security Major General Mohammed Al-Amri said the emergency forces are present not only in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites but also in all locations to maintain public security. Commander of the Civil Defense Forces in Hajj Major General Dr. Hammoud Al-Faraj said their main focus during the Hajj season is on the preventive and educational side by ensuring that all safety requirements are met in the pilgrims' residences and headquarters through continuous inspection tours.
