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January 12, 2005

Would-Be Haji Babas Dress as Haji Mamas to Evade Authorities

Topics: Middle East News and Perspectives

It seems that if you wish to be a Haji baba and come as a Haji mamma, but you are in fact a Haji dada, there will be no Haji for you.....

Arab News JEDDAH, 12 January 2005
Male overstayers trying to pull the wool over officials' eyes are pulling hijabs over their own. But they're finding out that it takes more than an abaya to make a woman.

Passports Department officials manning Al-Shumaisy checkpoint on the Jeddah-Makkah Expressway have arrested a number of overstayers disguised in women's clothes, Al-Watan newspaper reported. The illegal residents were on their way to Makkah.

Maj. Khaled Al-Harthi of the Passports Department said officials daily detect many cases of pilgrims disguised in women's clothing trying to smuggle themselves into Makkah. "My female colleagues are a great help in detecting such cases, especially when families refuse to be inspected by male officials," he added.

Al-Watan reported it witnessed police arresting overstayers in a van carrying men in disguise who wanted to smuggle themselves into Makkah and perform pilgrimage without a Haj permit. Read more...

Posted by Hyscience at January 12, 2005 4:31 PM

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