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Govt to bring back 700 haj pilgrims home through Philippines
The Indonesian government will bring back 700 Indonesian haj pilgrims who went to Saudi Arabia through the Philippines, before facing legal process, an official has said.
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Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba and try to touch Maqam Ibrahim (The Station of Abraham, the golden glass structure, top-right) at the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 7. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
T
he Indonesian government will bring back 700 Indonesian haj pilgrims who went to Saudi Arabia through the Philippines before facing legal process, an official has said.
Ronny Sompie, the Law and Human Rights Ministry’s immigration director general, said on Wednesday that the Indonesian government would cooperate with the Philippine government to bring back the haj pilgrims through the Philippines.
“We are trying to identify the names of the 700 haj pilgrims. Their names are in the hands of Philippine intelligence and immigration officials,” Ronny said at the Ministry, adding that his office would be happy to receive suggestions on how to deal with the issue.
Minister Yasonna Laoly earlier said the Indonesian pilgrims passed Philippine immigration and entered Saudi Arabia with fake Philippine passports, using the Philippines' haj quota because of Indonesia's long waiting list for the pilgrimage.
Indonesians who register now to go on the haj will have to wait for more than 10 years before they can depart to Mecca. (wnd/bbn)
