Makkah siege: Laying the ghost of 1979 to rest

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman inspected expansions to the site during a visit to the Grand Mosque in Makkah in February this year. (AFP)
Updated 21 November 2019
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Makkah siege: Laying the ghost of 1979 to rest

  • Now moving rapidly back to the future, Saudi Arabia took decades to overcome the effects of the assault on the Grand Mosque

JEDDAH: Today, Saudi Arabia’s leadership is working to reverse the years of social regression triggered in part by the November 1979 siege of the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative conference in 2017 in Riyadh, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said: “We are returning to what we were before — a country of moderate Islam that is open to all religions and to the world.”

And in an interview conducted last year, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that before the Iranian Revolution and the siege of Makkah rocked the Muslim world, “we were just normal people developing like any other country in the world until the events of 1979.”

If there is a specific date that will live in infamy, it is Nov. 20. On that day, Royal Saudi Air Force helicopter pilot Col. Mahdi Al-Zwawi was in Riyadh when he was recalled to his base in Taif, about 90 km from Makkah.

Murder and mayhem had erupted just hours earlier in the heart of Islam perpetrated by a reactionary sect led by Juhayman Al-Otaibi, determined to overthrow the Saudi government and convinced that one of their number, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, was the Mahdi, whose appearance, according to the hadiths, heralds the Day of Judgment.

The authorities, scrambling for intelligence so that they could put together a response, ordered his helicopter unit to fly constant reconnaissance flights during daylight hours over the mosque.

Flying at about 300 meters over the mosque for the first time, Al-Zwawi was struck by the unprecedented absence of worshippers in the great courtyard. Later on, flying lower, “we saw people in the minarets trying to shoot at us.”

At 3:30 a.m. on Nov. 22, Saudi artillery began targeting the mosque, not with high explosives but with “flash-bang” shells designed to disorient the militants. Under cover of this bombardment, troops were able to reach the eastern side of the Safa-Marwa gallery.

They were hoping to breach the Al-Salam Gate, halfway along the gallery, but were beaten back with the loss of several lives.

By the end of Nov. 23, the text of a fatwa sought by King Khaled was finally agreed by the ulema. Now the Kingdom’s hands were untied and the full force of Brig. Gen. Faleh Al-Dhahri’s armored brigade could be unleashed.

First, to comply with the fatwa, a call to surrender was broadcast over loudspeakers. When it was ignored, rockets were fired at the minarets, neutralizing the snipers, and artillery blasted an opening in the side of the Safa-Marwa gallery. M113 armored personnel carriers rumbled in through the opening and through the already-destroyed Marwa Gate.




The arrested gunmen in December 1979. (AFP)

It was not until midday Nov. 24, after hours of desperate fighting and many losses among the troops, that the gallery was finally cleared — but the battle for the mosque was far from over.

Driven from the upper levels, Juhayman and the surviving insurgents, along with some hostages and prisoners they had captured, had retreated into the Qaboo, the warren of more than 225 interconnected chambers under the mosque.

On Dec. 2, three advisers from France’s elite GIGN flew into Taif, bringing with them supplies of a chemical. CB, for short, was a gas designed to seriously restrict breathing, and which was fatal if breathed in for too long. The French agents trained members of the Saudi General Intelligence Directorate in how to use it, equipping them with gas masks and chemical suits. 

On Dec. 3, holes were drilled in the floor of the mosque and canisters of CB, attached to explosive charges, were dropped into the basement maze. The tactic was only partially effective and it took more than 18 hours of bitter, bloody fighting before the final stronghold was breached on Dec. 4.

In a room about two meters square were found cowering 20 thoroughly defeated militants, exhausted, hungry and covered with the grime of battle. Al-Qahtani, the self-declared Mahdi, was presumed killed on the third day or fourth day of the fighting.

The troops found the last of the surviving insurgents huddled together, surrounded by the dates, water and labneh they had smuggled into the mosque along with their weapons. Among them was Juhayman.

On the evening of Dec. 5, King Khaled addressed the nation, thanking God for His support in crushing the “seditious act of sacrilege.” The next day he led joyful worshippers into the courtyard of the mosque.

The death toll included 127 members of the forces. Another 451 of their colleagues had been wounded. 

Inevitably, although large numbers of hostages had been either released, escaped or were freed by the security forces, some had been caught in the crossfire. The final official toll was 26 dead, including Saudi nationals and pilgrims from Pakistan, Indonesia, India, Egypt and Burma. More than 100 were wounded.

Of the 260 attackers, 117 were dead — 90 died where they fought and 27 others later succumbed to their wounds in hospital. Justice for the captured militants was swift. On Jan. 9, 1980, the Saudi Interior Ministry announced that 63 captives had been executed in eight different cities. Juhayman himself met his end in Makkah that day.

The price paid for the liberation of the mosque was a high one — both in number of lives lost and in the dramatic reversal of modernization to which it led, blighting Saudi society for generations to come.

Khaled Almaeena, former editor in chief of Arab News, has no doubt that it changed the climate in Saudi Arabia. Juhayman, he said, “lost the battle but won the war.”

Recalling that Jeddah was a “laid-back city,” he said: “I used to go to movies with my mother. Women were not told to cover up. In those days you had Saudi singers, women also, and then you had Saudi TV and radio shows, (with) women and men, and things were going on well.”

After the siege, all that changed. “They stopped women from appearing on TV — my wife used to read the news on TV. You could not even get (the famous Lebanese singers) Fairouz or Samira Tewfik to come on TV, and this was a big shock for a country that was used to music.”

Worse was to come. “We should be very frank,” said Almaeena. “The religious police started harassing people, started coming and interfering in our lives, asking questions. It was like the Spanish Inquisition ... a shadow fell over the country.”

In an interview with Arab News, Mansour Alnogaidan, a writer of Saudi descent who was drawn to Salafi groups in his youth, said: “After 1980, something was broken. What happened? In my opinion, Saudi Arabia lacked the political minds that could support the leadership and explain that the Kingdom could remain as it was: A conservative country that was proud at once to serve the Two Holy Mosques and be open to the world.”

For his part, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, the then head of the General Intelligence Directorate, said that lessons were certainly learnt by the Saudi state. “The first lesson is that you must be wary of any ideas and attempts to change the basic beliefs and tenets of Muslim practice,” he said.

The second lesson is “that we must be wary of any attempts to use Islam as a tool for any political activity.”

It has taken decades for Saudi Arabia to recover its tolerance and respect for personal freedom. Now, as the Kingdom moves rapidly back to the future, for all of its citizens the sky is the limit.

 

 

Juhayman: 40 years on
On the anniversary of the 1979 attack on Makkah's Grand Mosque, Arab News tells the full story of an unthinkable event that shocked the Islamic world and cast a shadow over Saudi society for decades

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Cabinet reviews Hajj 2025 plans as Dhul Hijjah begins

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. (SPA)
Updated 27 May 2025
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Cabinet reviews Hajj 2025 plans as Dhul Hijjah begins

  • Cabinet said the Kingdom takes pride in serving the Two Holy Mosques and receiving millions of pilgrims for Hajj, Umrah, and visits

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet on Tuesday reviewed plans for this year’s Hajj season as the Supreme Court announced that Dhul Hijjah will start on Wednesday.

Hajj takes place during Dhul Hijjah and the pilgrimage will start on June 4 with pilgrims gathering in the Tent City of Mina.

The Cabinet said relevant authorities were operating with the highest standards of efficiency, quality, coordination, and integration, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

These efforts aim to ensure the comfort and safety of pilgrims, supported by the Kingdom’s extensive development projects and advanced infrastructure, which enhance all aspects of service and facilitate the performance of Hajj rituals for pilgrims from around the world, the Cabinet said.

The Cabinet said the Kingdom takes pride in serving the Two Holy Mosques and receiving millions of pilgrims for Hajj, Umrah, and visits. This reflects the Kingdom’s pioneering Islamic role and longstanding commitment since its unification by the late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al-Saud.

The Cabinet also discussed the Kingdom’s participation in the recent summits between the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and China. These engagements reaffirm the Kingdom’s support for international initiatives promoting sustainable development and regional stability, contributing to a prosperous future for all nations, it said.

The Cabinet welcomed the announcement of a new oil discovery in the neutral zone between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. It described the development as a positive step that enhances cooperation in the energy sector and reflects the success of joint exploration and development efforts.

The Cabinet also reviewed regional and international developments, reiterating the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to support the Palestinian cause. It called for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, the facilitation of humanitarian aid, and the cessation of violations by Israeli authorities of international laws and norms.

The Cabinet praised the launch of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition’s regional program for Sahel countries, inaugurated in Mali. The initiative aims to strengthen cooperation among member states in combatting terrorism and its financing through joint action and the exchange of expertise.

The Cabinet lauded initiatives launched as part of the Health Sector Transformation Program which have enhanced the quality and comprehensiveness of healthcare, improved preventive and traffic safety measures, and advanced digital health services in line with the objectives of Vision 2030.

The Cabinet affirmed that the Kingdom remains committed to comprehensive and sustainable development through economic diversification, optimization of its competitive advantages, stimulation of local and foreign investment, empowerment of Saudi citizens, and the creation of job opportunities across various sectors.


Makkah Route Initiative: Enhancing the experience for once-in-a-lifetime journey

Updated 27 May 2025
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Makkah Route Initiative: Enhancing the experience for once-in-a-lifetime journey

  • The initiative involves dedicated services at 12 airports in 8 countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Morocco, the Maldives and Cote d’Ivoire
  • Now in its seventh year, more than 1m pilgrims benefitted from the initiative, says ministry

RIYADH: The Makkah Route Initiative by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior aims to make the once-in-a-lifetime journey easy for foreign pilgrims by enhancing their Hajj experience.

Now in its seventh year, the initiative is carried out by the ministry as part of the Vision 2030 Pilgrim Experience Program.

The ministry recently announced that more than 1 million pilgrims have benefited from the initiative since its launch, reaffirming the Kingdom’s commitment to serving Hajj pilgrims.

Makkah Route Initiative: A farewell wave, and a smile preceded by satisfaction as a pilgrim completing the procedures with ease at Karachi Airport. (Supplied/X/Makkah Route Initiative)

Established in 2018 and activated in 2019, the initiative enables pilgrims to complete their entry procedures to Saudi Arabia at their home countries’ airports.

Upon arrival in the Kingdom, pilgrims and their luggage are directly transported to their accommodation in the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, avoiding long lines and wait times at the airport.

Pilgrims arriving under the initiative spend only a few minutes at the Saudi immigration counters.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Makkah Route Initiative enables pilgrims to complete their entry procedures to Saudi Arabia at their home countries’ airports.

• Pilgrims arriving under the initiative spend only a few minutes at the Saudi immigration counters.

It includes dedicated lounges at 12 airports in eight countries — Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Morocco, the Maldives and Cote d’Ivoire.

Malaysian pilgrim Hasna Hamza, who arrived for her pilgrimage last week, expressed her heartfelt thanks to the Saudi government for facilitating the journey.

Makkah Route Initiative: A farewell wave, and a smile preceded by satisfaction as a pilgrim completing the procedures with ease at Karachi Airport. (Supplied/X/Makkah Route Initiative)

Aged 74, she described the process as “smooth, respectful and deeply spiritual.”

She completed her travel procedures in Kuala Lumpur — including biometric collection, health screening, passport validation and luggage processing.

Upon arrival in Madinah, she and fellow pilgrims were swiftly transferred to their accommodation with their luggage.

Bangladesh Ambassador M. Delwar Hossain welcoming the Bangladeshi pilgrims at King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah. (Supplied/Embassy of Bangladesh)

Naved Hasan, a Pakistani pilgrim told Arab News that the initiative enables pilgrims “to be fully committed to performing one of their holiest duties with peace of mind.”

Mohammed Mubarak, a Bangladeshi pilgrim, added: “Completing all the necessary procedures before leaving my home country saved me a lot of time and stress.”

The first group of 414 Bangladeshi pilgrims arrived at the Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on April 29.

A Hajj pilgrim completing the procedures with ease upon arrival under Makkah Route Initiative. (File photo)

Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia M. Delwar Hossain welcomed them at the airport, and assured that the Bangladesh Embassy, Consulate and Bangladesh Hajj Mission were available to support them.

The program, led by multilingual national teams and supported by advanced technology, ensures a smooth and spiritual experience for all pilgrims.

Underscoring Saudi Arabia’s commitment to pilgrims through the Makkah Route Initiative, Saudi Ambassador to Morocco Dr. Sami Al-Saleh said the initiative “streamlines Hajj procedures and ensures a peaceful journey for pilgrims traveling from their home countries to the Kingdom.”

Makkah Route Initiative: A Hajj pilgrim completing the procedures with ease at Jakarta Airport. (Supplied/X/Makkah Route Initiative)

Al-Saleh added that the widely embraced initiative in Morocco enables pilgrims to fulfill all travel procedures at Mohammed V International Airport in their home country.

Saudi Arabia launched the Makkah Route Initiative in the Maldives this week, making it the eighth country to benefit.

Officially inaugurating the initiative at Velana International Airport in Male on Monday, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu presented the passport to the first pilgrim from a group of 234.

The ministries of media, health and Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia run campaigns through social media to provide all the necessary information.

The Ministry of Hajj has reiterated that all intending to perform Hajj must obtain an official permit through the “Nusuk” platform, in technical integration with the unified digital platform for Hajj permits, “Tasreeh.”

The ministry emphasized that compliance with regulations is essential to protect the safety and well-being of pilgrims, and to ensure a smooth and secure Hajj experience.

In an official statement, the ministry stressed that no separate visa category — other than the official Hajj visa — grants its holder the right to perform Hajj.

Hefty fines up to SR100,000 ($26,000) will be enforced for anyone attempting to perform Hajj without the necessary visa.

The Makkah Route Initiative is run in coordination with several government entities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and Ministry of Media, the Saudi Data and AI Authority, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the General Authority for Awqaf, the Pilgrim Experience Program and the General Directorate of Passports.

 


Saudi Arabia launches Makkah Route Initiative in Maldives

Updated 27 May 2025
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Saudi Arabia launches Makkah Route Initiative in Maldives

  • Maldives is eighth country to benefit, following Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Morocco, Ivory Coast

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched its Makkah Route Initiative in the Maldives, making it the eighth country to benefit from the scheme.

The other seven countries are Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Morocco and the Ivory Coast.

President of the Maldives Dr. Mohamed Muizzu inaugurated the route at Velana International Airport in Male on Monday, in the presence of the Chairman of the Makkah Route Supervisory Committee Lt. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Yahya, Minister of Islamic Affairs in the Maldives Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, and several other officials.

Maldives President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu inaugurating the Makkah Route Initiative at Velana International Airport in Male in the presence of Chairman of the Makkah Route Supervisory Committee Lt. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Yahya, and Maldives Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed. (Supplied)

The President’s Office posted on X: “President Dr @MMuizzu officially inaugurates the Makkah Route Initiative, accompanied by first lady madam @sajidhaamohamed.

“The president presented the passport to the first pilgrim utilizing the Makkah Route Initiative, while the first lady presented the passport to the second pilgrim.”

The first group of 234 Maldivian pilgrims left Male Airport under the initiative for Saudi Arabia.

This is a tremendous honor for the Maldivian people.

Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, Maldives Minister of Islamic Affairs

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Ali Saeed described the occasion as a proud moment for all Maldivians.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs in the Maldives said it noted that the positive changes initiated in Hajj affairs under Muizzu’s administration were now coming to fruition, transforming the pilgrimage experience for Maldivian pilgrims.

The minister said: “This is a historic page in our efforts to ease and enhance the Hajj journey for our citizens.”

Ali Saeed expressed sincere gratitude to Muizzu for his strong support and commitment to making the Makkah Route Initiative a reality for the Maldives.

He further revealed that the inclusion of the Maldives in the Makkah Route Initiative was made possible through special exemptions granted by Saudi Arabia, with the personal approval of King Salman.

“This is a tremendous honor for the Maldivian people,” he added, recognizing the close and valued relationship between the two nations.

The Makkah Route Initiative is designed to provide high-quality services to pilgrims from beneficiary countries by streamlining travel procedures in their home countries and facilitating the smooth and seamless completion of process at their designated embarkation points.

This includes collecting biometric data, electronically issuing Hajj visas, completing passport procedures at the departure airport following health verification, coding and sorting luggage according to transportation and accommodation arrangements in the Kingdom, and transferring pilgrims to buses to their residences in Makkah and Madinah.

Partner agencies are responsible for delivering the luggage to pilgrims’ accommodation in the holy cities.

 


Saudi deputy minister meets Portuguese foreign ministry official

Saud Al-Sati (R) holds talks with Helena Malcata in Riyadh. (Supplied)
Updated 27 May 2025
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Saudi deputy minister meets Portuguese foreign ministry official

  • The two officials headed the second round of political consultations between the two countries

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Saud Al-Sati met Helena Malcata, director-general of foreign policy at the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Riyadh on Tuesday.

The two officials headed the second round of political consultations between the two countries, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a post on X.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance them in various fields.

Portuguese Ambassador to the Kingdom Nuno Matias was present during the meeting.

 


Saudi Arabia condemns storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir walks to visit the Damascus Gate to Jerusalem’s Old City in Jerusalem, May 26
Updated 27 May 2025
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Saudi Arabia condemns storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli officials and settlers under the protection of Israeli forces on Monday.

The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its condemnation of the continued flagrant violations of international law and brutal attacks on the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Crowds of Israelis streamed through Jerusalem’s Old City, where some scuffled with residents and hurled insults at Palestinians, as annual celebrations of Israel’s capture of east Jerusalem took place on Monday.

Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, to mark the occasion.

Jerusalem Day, as the celebrations are known, commemorates Israeli forces taking east Jerusalem during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

The Kingdom affirmed its categorical rejection of anything that undermines the historical and legal status of Jerusalem and its holy sites.It called on the international community to hold Israeli authorities accountable for their ongoing violations against Islamic holy sites and innocent civilians in Palestine.