Interior Ministry sounds the alarm bell and lays out plan against possible attacks during the pilgrimage. Fifty thousand men are deployed to protect the greater Makkah area.

Mina (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Terrorism could strike during Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah, which this year takes place on January 19-22.

The warning comes from Saudi Interior Minister, Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, whose spokesman, Mansour al-Turki, said that "we have done a good job in reducing the activities of the terrorists," but warned that "they still have the ability to execute terrorist acts."

This year, hajj is coming at the end of a bloody period in which security forces have often failed to prevent attacks.

For this most sacred of events, Saudi authorities are deploying 50,000 forces to maintain law and order, most of them stationed in Mina, ten kilometres (six miles) from Makkah.

The extra security measures include police road blocks around the holy city, searches and identity checks. All demonstrations or protests are prohibited.

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef Prince Nayef urged countries sending pilgrims to the kingdom to ensure their citizens behave properly to make the hajj safe for all.

"The government of Saudi Arabia is doing its best to make this hajj secure for all the guests of God," Nayef said at a press conference. But "security at the hajj is an issue of cooperation."

More than 1.5 million pilgrims from 160 countries have arrived in Saudi Arabia and are to join another 500,000 from within the kingdom. Up to 1 million residents of Mecca could also participate.

For many Muslims the pilgrimage will give them a chance to pray for the victims of the recent tsunami that hit several countries, some of them predominantly Muslim.

• saudi
• arabia
• hajj
• pilgrimage
• terrorism
• violence
• prevention