RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Saudi forces say they thwarted terrorist plans to disrupt the annual pilgrimage to Mecca known as Hajj.
The week-long pilgrimage ended Friday with no major incidents after Saudi forces were able to disrupt terrorist plans aimed at harming some of the tens of thousands of Muslims who travel to Mecca to worship, KUNA, the Kuwait news agency, reported Saturday.
Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam, an obligation to be carried out at least once in a believer's lifetime, if health and financial ability allow, as a demonstration of Muslim solidarity and submission to God
Three days before the start of Hajj, Saudi security forces arrested an al-Qaida-linked suspects in various Saudi cities who were planning to carry out attacks during the annual pilgrimage, Al-Arabiya satellite channel reported. The number of arrests wasn't known.
The disclosure came after the Interior Ministry announced last month the arrest of 208 terror suspects, including 32 terror financiers, Arab News reported.
