Saudi Arabia is taking extensive precautions as the annual Hajj approaches. A spokesperson for the interior ministry says that a 100,000-strong security force will be deployed around holy sites.
"We always concentrate on hajj considering that a threat might exist," Major General Mansour al-Turki told Associated Press. "We’ve been targeted by terrorism for years now and we know that we are a target for terrorist groups."
About 3 million people are expected to take part in the pilgrimage, coming from around the world.