Saudi- High tech posts: Illegal Hajis stand no chance

(MENAFN- Arab News) TAIF: Hoodwinking the authorities concerned by pilgrims not carrying Haj permits won't be easy this time around even if one tries to enter the Haram area in civilian clothing. High-tech electronic devices at all the entrances of Makkah sustained aerial survey and alert officials in every nook and corner of the holy city and on highways will thwart such attempts.
Illegal pilgrims will not only be sent back but also fingerprinted and subjected to penal action including deportation local media reported on Sunday quoting sources.
Work is under way to turn Makkah entrances into an electronic area with inspection points and telecom and fingerprinting devises.
The entrances will be linked to the National Information Center at the Ministry of Interior where a barcode system will verify scrutinize pilgrims.
The National Information Center has provided all mobile and fixed devices that will reveal the identity of pilgrims in seconds.
Makeshift prisons have been set up at the entry points to detain law violators.
The Saudi Telecom Co. has modernized some of the telecom towers near the separation points and linked them with the Net. Aerial monitoring will help the security personnel on the ground stop illegal Hajis.
Meanwhile the security authorities have already started monitoring long-distance roads that can be used to smuggle illegal Hajis into Makkah.
The Al-Bahieta Security Center through which 50 percent of pilgrims enter Makkah will be monitored by 3000 personnel from 21 departments.