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Are the deadly pilgrimage stampedes being incited by provocateurs?

TMR Editor’s Note:
There has been a spate of pilgrimage deaths due to stampedes over the past few years which can no longer be ignored. The vast majority of them occur on Muslim holy days or at the most revered Islamic shrines in the Middle East. Many others have taken place at Hindu Temples or during Hindu festivals. The following list of Hindu stampedes illustrates just how common these events have become.

The list below is even more troubling because it indicates that there is a definite pattern of targeting devotees and pilgrims while congregating at their temples.  When the history above is considered in light of this compilation of deliberate attacks, one can only wonder whether those stampedes may have been triggered by agent provocateurs.  There is certainly incentive for furtive groups to take advantage of unsuspecting and weary pilgrims who have traveled great distances.

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Hajj stampede: At least 310 killed in Saudi Arabia

BBC

At least 310 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 450 people were injured in the incident at Mina, which occurred as two million pilgrims were taking part in the Hajj’s last major rite.

They converge on Mina to throw stones at pillars representing the devil.

Preparations for the Hajj were marred when a crane collapsed at Mecca’s Grand Mosque this month, killing 109 people.

AP – Pilgrims converged on Mina to cast stones at a pillar representing the devil
 

AFP – In the past decade the Saudi authorities have improved infrastructure for safety reasons

The Saudi civil defence directorate said on Twitter that 4,000 personnel had been sent to the scene of Thursday’s stampede, along with more than 220 emergency and rescue units. The injured are being taken to four hospitals in the area.

It was not immediately clear what triggered the stampede, but it is not the first to have occurred during the Hajj.

Hajj: Deadly incidents

1987: 400 people die as Saudi authorities confront pro-Iranian demonstration

1990: 1,426 pilgrims killed in tunnel leading to holy sites

1994: 270 killed in stampede

1997: 343 pilgrims killed and 1,500 injured in fire

2006: 364 pilgrims die in a crush during the stone-throwing ritual

Since 364 people were killed during the stoning ritual in 2006, the Saudi authorities have worked on improving transport and other infrastructure in the area in an attempt try to prevent such incidents.

For Muslims, the Hajj is the fifth and final pillar of Islam.

It is the journey that every able-bodied adult Muslim must undertake at least once in their lives if they can afford it.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34346449

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THE MILLENNIUM REPORT: Reporting the Most Important News in the World Today.