107 dead in crane collapse at Mecca's Grand Mosque

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Doesn't look like an accident to me. Looks like murder by negligent engineering.

You would think that with all the tourist dollars in Meca they would shell out a few Rial for a decent American built Caterpillar crane.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Bulldozer Dawn

[Scott]

One post has been removed. Please keep your responses civil and stay on topic.

[Friendly Stranger]

9/11 14 years ago, there was dancing in the streets in the M.E. 9/11 yesterday, and non muslims don't bat an eyelid.

I bet there was more than a couple that had a smirk or a nodding head when they read this. All in secrecy of course.

[Friendly Stranger]

There does seem to be a form of myopia that is clouding the visions of some of our posters and their sympathy for the faithful who if one looks at the list in the links below have no qualms about taking the lives of those who worship another deity.

What? So it a worshiper being killed by a failing crane is the same as Muslim killing many innocent people purely because of their religious heritage?

Here's a quick and easy Google exercise for you. Find out how many Muslims are in the world. Then find out how many terrorist killings last year by Muslims. Should take less than 5 minutes with Google.

Divide the 2 numbers, then mentally fill a stadium with 50,000 statistically average Muslims. How many of those statistically average Muslims in that stadium are terrorist killers?

How many of the 107 random Muslims killed yesterday do you figure "deserved it"?

I agree that these ppl are not the ones that we should be applauding, but taking you up on your example, yes, very few of those 50000 are terrorists. However, how many of those 50k would speak up and condemn what the terrorists are doing?

[pbay]

With the plight of their muslim brothers and sisters suffering under that dog Assad what are the rich arab states doing? Sweet FA, instead the Christian countries are the only ones that offer help. Hey muslims what does that say to you? What is the value of your Islam now in times of catastrophe?

The rich Arab states are funding the Syrian rebels thus leading to more war and more refugees and the west is training rebels and supplying them with weapons thus leading to more war and more refugees.Where are these Christain countries? Far as I know hardly anyone goes to church anymore.Saudi has sent $700 million dollars to help refugees as well

Edited September 12, 2015 by pbay

[Calach]

Bummer.

[ukrules]

It's kind of hard to understand why this many people are in the vicinity of heavy building machinery during high winds or a storm.

This would appear to have been completely preventable

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Maybe it's Gods way of telling them to stop worshiping a stupid meteorite.

[Seastallion]

9/11 14 years ago, there was dancing in the streets in the M.E. 9/11 yesterday, and non muslims don't bat an eyelid.

I bet there was more than a couple that had a smirk or a nodding head when they read this. All in secrecy of course.

An awful amount of hate and joy being spewed towards, as far as we know, innocent people's deaths. But even such distasteful comments such as "107 dead...1.2 billion to go." are civil, so it's all OK.

So, by your attitude, the next natural disaster to hit, say Bible Belt USA, it would be understandable and acceptable for random Arabs to take joy in the deaths? Or would it be disgusting?

The dancing in the streets was largely discredited as 8 year old footage of joy at something else. CNN stoked the hate by airing it, falsely, as celebrations for 911.

[Seastallion]

Maybe it's Gods way of telling them to stop worshiping a stupid meteorite.

Would the mass shooting in the church recently in America be God's way of saying stop worshiping guns?

[impulse]

I agree that these ppl are not the ones that we should be applauding, but taking you up on your example, yes, very few of those 50000 are terrorists. However, how many of those 50k would speak up and condemn what the terrorists are doing?

How many Sicilians would stand up and do something about the Mafia? How many Colombians or Mexicans would stand up to the drug cartels? (Rhetorical questions, BTW) But I know of 43 Mexican kids that won't make that mistake again, and probably millions more that learned from it.

Edited September 12, 2015 by impulse

[Seastallion]

There does seem to be a form of myopia that is clouding the visions of some of our posters and their sympathy for the faithful who if one looks at the list in the links below have no qualms about taking the lives of those who worship another deity.

What? So it a worshiper being killed by a failing crane is the same as Muslim killing many innocent people purely because of their religious heritage?

Here's a quick and easy Google exercise for you. Find out how many Muslims are in the world. Then find out how many terrorist killings last year by Muslims. Should take less than 5 minutes with Google.

Divide the 2 numbers, then mentally fill a stadium with 50,000 statistically average Muslims. How many of those statistically average Muslims in that stadium are terrorist killers?

How many of the 107 random Muslims killed yesterday do you figure "deserved it"?

I agree that these ppl are not the ones that we should be applauding, but taking you up on your example, yes, very few of those 50000 are terrorists. However, how many of those 50k would speak up and condemn what the terrorists are doing?

How do you know they don't, to a man? I bet you only read the Western press, and besides, they are probably restricted in how they can express their opinions.

But, based on your uninformed hypothesis, and based only on what they don't say, you can take joy in their deaths.

Disgusting

[55Jay]

I love how a crane fall killing Saudis in Saudi can spawn discussion about gun control in America.

[cookee68]

9/11 14 years ago, there was dancing in the streets in the M.E. 9/11 yesterday, and non muslims don't bat an eyelid.

I bet there was more than a couple that had a smirk or a nodding head when they read this. All in secrecy of course.

An awful amount of hate and joy being spewed towards, as far as we know, innocent people's deaths. But even such distasteful comments such as "107 dead...1.2 billion to go." are civil, so it's all OK.

So, by your attitude, the next natural disaster to hit, say Bible Belt USA, it would be understandable and acceptable for random Arabs to take joy in the deaths? Or would it be disgusting?

The dancing in the streets was largely discredited as 8 year old footage of joy at something else. CNN stoked the hate by airing it, falsely, as celebrations for 911.

Why the Muslims have been taking joy in the deaths of westerners since time, do you think at this moment in time they are going to get the big sympathy vote, any religion can enter a church, only Muslims can enter Mecca, and only men, says it all, and the USA has had many a disaster

[cookee68]

I agree that these ppl are not the ones that we should be applauding, but taking you up on your example, yes, very few of those 50000 are terrorists. However, how many of those 50k would speak up and condemn what the terrorists are doing?

How many Sicilians would stand up and do something about the Mafia? How many Colombians or Mexicans would stand up to the drug cartels? (Rhetorical questions, BTW) But I know of 43 Mexican kids that won't make that mistake again, and probably millions more that learned from it.

And 107 Muslims

[Seastallion]

9/11 14 years ago, there was dancing in the streets in the M.E. 9/11 yesterday, and non muslims don't bat an eyelid.

I bet there was more than a couple that had a smirk or a nodding head when they read this. All in secrecy of course.

An awful amount of hate and joy being spewed towards, as far as we know, innocent people's deaths. But even such distasteful comments such as "107 dead...1.2 billion to go." are civil, so it's all OK.

So, by your attitude, the next natural disaster to hit, say Bible Belt USA, it would be understandable and acceptable for random Arabs to take joy in the deaths? Or would it be disgusting?

The dancing in the streets was largely discredited as 8 year old footage of joy at something else. CNN stoked the hate by airing it, falsely, as celebrations for 911.

Why the Muslims have been taking joy in the deaths of westerners since time, do you think at this moment in time they are going to get the big sympathy vote, any religion can enter a church, only Muslims can enter Mecca, and only men, says it all, and the USA has had many a disaster

There's a few things wrong with your post.

"Since time"? Do you mean since the Big Bang? I don't think there were many Westerners, or Muslims to hate them then. Or do you mean since the first Crusade when Westerners tried to wrest, by force and bloodshed, the "Holy Land" from them?

Huge flaw in your premise; Sympathy vote for an entire religion, or sympathy for innocent deaths?

So, the Thai woman that got injured...did she go undercover as a man? You're showing your ignorance based on misinformation-for-propaganda. And anyway, every religion has their own gender discriminations: Buddhist, Hindu, Judaism, Christians....they all ban women from some places or positions....what's your point, even though it was a false point?

[Scott]

Some of us were in the region when 9/11 occurred. What I saw was happiness and celebration. But I saw that kind of behavior for a lot of tragic events, not just westerners.

It's not an area of the world that is known an abundance of compassion.

People getting killed by a falling crane is very sad and I doubt that any of the people killed or injured in any way deserved it.

[green job]

IT was Written.

[Mudcrab]

Unlike some of the fools who commented on this topic ,I have worked in That area.

Although as I am not a Muslim I was not able to enter Mecca, however, I did work in Taif, which is quite close to Mecca by road....less than 20Km by road if I recall.

At this time of year it is not unusual for storms to come in off The Red Sea into Jeddah.

Jeddah, as a seaport is obviously at Sea level, Taif is nearly 2000 meters above sea level.

The two cities are only about 100Km apart.

Warm moist air is drawn in to Jeddah and if the winds blow to the Northeast towards Taif and Mecca , that moist air is lifted 2000 meters in altitude in that 100Km from Jeddah.

I have seen violent wind and rain (even Hail) in Taif from violent thunderstorms at this time of year In Taif.

I myself have been in some of those violent thunderstorms.

The storms and the wind come down the mountains from Taif and blow into Jeddah and Mecca

So for me the story of a violent thunderstorm in Mecca that blew the crane down is not at all unlikely.

People that have never been to Saudi Arabia think it never rains there, it's all sand desert.

That just isn't true as I have seen with my own eyes.

That was the weather report......now back to the News.

[MaxYakov]

I love how a crane fall killing Saudis in Saudi can spawn discussion about gun control in America.

You're right. The spawned discussion should have been about crane control.

[Skeptic7]

9/11 14 years ago, there was dancing in the streets in the M.E. 9/11 yesterday, and non muslims don't bat an eyelid.

I bet there was more than a couple that had a smirk or a nodding head when they read this. All in secrecy of course.

No hiding on my part. Even a little fist pump. Not ashamed to admit it either...(yawn)

[Skeptic7]

It's Karma, the anniversary of the Twin Towers atrocity.

Don't share your belief in "karma", but it is a delectable coincidence.

[Mosha]

9/11 14 years ago, there was dancing in the streets in the M.E. 9/11 yesterday, and non muslims don't bat an eyelid.

I bet there was more than a couple that had a smirk or a nodding head when they read this. All in secrecy of course.

My reaction was, how ironic.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Mosha

[Mosha]

It's kind of hard to understand why this many people are in the vicinity of heavy building machinery during high winds or a storm.

This would appear to have been completely preventable

BBC said it;s always busy. It's also the start of Hadj

[mumjokmok]

Please excuse my ignorance, I am only a humanist, but is this the big gold dome in Jerusalem over " the rock" every religion thinks they own?

My question is a serious one.

jerusalem.jpg

Yes, from Hindus to Zoroastrians to Rastafarians to Timothy Leary LSD cult members, all share a stake in this domed rock.

[SOTIRIOS]

...all races and religions are suscesptible to 'human failings'.....

...intellectual....spiritual...social.....emotional....sociological....moral...ideological...theological...technical........

...if this does not apply to you...then you can speak.....

...otherwise...you are just uttering sentiments that should be below us all.....

...but ....alas...

...all races and religions are susceptible to human failings....

Edited September 12, 2015 by SOTIRIOS

[thaibeachlovers]

Perhaps you would be wise to consider the full facts before posting.

I did. And I considered the reaction from all the haters here. Still, I stand by my statements. I take no joy and find no humor in the death of 107 fellow human beings, regardless of the accident of their birth into a country and a religion different from my own.

If you have ever lived in Saudi you will be aware of the punishment meted out to infidels that even possess a symbol of Christianity, never mind actually practicing their faith in private.

At this moment, many thousands of westerners that worked in Saudi will have a smile on their face, though I doubt dancing in the street.

[thaibeachlovers]

Has anyone else noticed that the crane in question was a mobile crane, not one secured in place? To use one like that in a country where such winds are not remarkable, and in an area where people are gathered within the range of the boom was just stupid.

Ironic though, that the company involved was the Bin Ladens.

[ukrules]

Has anyone else noticed that the crane in question was a mobile crane, not one secured in place? To use one like that in a country where such winds are not remarkable, and in an area where people are gathered within the range of the boom was just stupid.

Ironic though, that the company involved was the Bin Ladens.

There is a measure of irony here. I also note that one of the family jets crashed recently as well and from what I heard there were some family members on board.

[Lite Beer]

2 Thais injured in Mecca crane tragedy
THE SUNDAY NATION

MECCA: -- TWO Thais were among 238 Muslims injured when a construction crane collapsed amid stormy weather at the Grand Mosque of Mecca in Saudi Arabia on Friday, Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat said yesterday.

The accident, which took place days ahead of the annual haj pilgrimage, killed at least 107 people.

The two injured Thais were identified as Maeyoh Taemo, 47, a woman from Pattani, and Sama-ae Shazu, 48, a man from Yala, Vira said, citing a report by Religious Affairs Department director-general Kritsayapong Siri.

The duo received treatment at the Faisal Hospital and were handed over to a medical team at the Royal Thai Embassy.

Haj Affairs of Thailand set up a team to gather information on the incident and help affected Thai pilgrimages.

The Religious Affairs Department has set aside two mobile phone numbers - 094-9520668 and 094-9158257 - for relatives to inquire about Thai pilgrims in Mecca.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/2-Thais-injured-in-Mecca-crane-tragedy-30268683.html

-- The Nation 2015-09-13