Ahlul Bayt News Agency - Leader of the Shiite Islamic Movement in Nigeria, his eminence, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky says the management of hajj pilgrimage and the two holy mosques and other sanctities in Saudi Arabia is the responsibility of the Muslims world, and not exclusive reserve of the Al-Saud royal family.
Sheikh Zakzaky was responding to questions on the unfortunate tragedy in Saudi Arabia, by members of the Media Forum of the Islamic Movement who paid him Eid al-Adha homage at his residence in Gyellesu, Zaria on Saturday.
The Islamic scholar who made similar statement to pressmen in Kaduna during a condolence visit to the family of late Hajiya Bilkisu Yusuf, a victim of the tragedy said the city of Makkah is home to every Muslim believer and whatever therein belongs to all Muslims.
He said, Muslims of all nations should be involved in the management of the hajj operations for effective coordination, welfare and safety of pilgrims.
Sheikh Zakzaky pointed out that, the Al-Saud family cannot be trusted, when its hands are soaked with Muslims’ blood in countries such as Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq and Syria.
According to him, the Al-Saud prince whose convoy caused the tragedy and all those complicity in the crime should be punished by death, as they caused the death of thousands of innocent pilgrims.
“For the government of Saudi Arabia to blame pilgrims for killing themselves is ridiculous and a form of human degradation, which is also criminal. They are saying this in order to cover up the real cause of the tragedy”.
His Eminence further explained that, if the Saudi government could describe the crane tragedy at the precincts of the holy Ka’abah as accidental, “We wonder why the crane would be left hanging over the heads of millions of pilgrims, and only to crash on them on September 11”.
“The Saudi authorities cannot fool the world or exonerate itself from the heinous crime and monumental tragedy, as the world knows who is killing their brethren in Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq and Syria”, said Sheikh Zakzaky.
The deaths of such a large number of pilgrims--2,000 according to latest count and perhaps more--in a single day has renewed calls about the culpability of the Saudi regime. In illegal occupation of the holy city of Mecca and Medina, their incompetence and callousness are directly responsible for the latest tragedy. They should be put on trial for war crimes
/129