Another Stampede??

[Catherine Vincent]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060113/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_hajj

At Least 345 People Die in Hajj Stampede By SALAH NASRAWI -
Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 8 minutes ago

MINA, Saudi Arabia - Thousands of Muslims surging to complete a stoning ritual before sunset stampeded Thursday after some pilgrims tripped over dropped luggage, causing a pileup that killed at least 345 people in the second tragedy to hit this year's hajj.

Saudi authorities have sought for years to ease the flow of increasingly mammoth crowds during the annual Islamic pilgrimage, but the deaths on the final day of the stoning of the devil ritual underlined the difficulty in managing one of the world's biggest religious events, which this year drew more than 2.5 million followers.

The stampede came a week after another hajj disaster — the Jan. 5 collapse of a building being used as a pilgrims' hotel that killed 76 people in Mecca.

[Hestia]

1. Hmmm...

Think Allah might be trying to tell them something?

[Dunvegan]

2. No.

Accidents happen when you have thousands of people crowded together...doubly so when said thousands are crowded together in a place unfamiliar to them.

[Catherine Vincent]

3. No.

Tragic accidents happen all the time. The organizers of this major event need to plan proper safety percautions apparently. This is about the third time it's happened. Prevention is the key.

[Gruenemann]

4. What, no pronouncement from Pat Robertson?

Surely, the True God of White Jeezus has smitten them for being wicked Mohammedans!