Saudi national who attempted to attack Imam-e-Kaaba claims to be ‘Mahdi’

RIYADH – An attacker who attempted charging toward the pulpit in Kaaba declared himself as ‘Imam Mahdi’.

The Saudi citizen, whose identity hasn’t revealed yet, was apprehended on Friday by quick responding security guards deployed next to Sheikh Baleelah who was delivering the sermon at the Grand mosque – Islam’s holiest site.

The security personnel, Mohammed Al-Zahrani, has garnered much appreciation and titled as ‘hero’ after he responded briskly in a bid to counter the baton-wielding assailant who can be seen running toward the pulpit. He was later removed from the Grand Mosque with the help of other officers.

Meanwhile, Saudi law enforcers who launched the probe to find the motive behind the attack revealed that the man, donning Ihram, claimed to be Imam Mahdi – the awaited messiah who according to Muslims will appear at the end of times.

The officials also took help from health officials for the mental examination of the arrested man.

The clip was released by Haramain Sharifain’s official Twitter in which the ‘fake messiah’ can be seen attempting to approach the imam. In the released clip, Imam Sheikh Baleelah can be seen continuing his sermon despite the man approaching the senior religious leader of the Kingdom.

VIDEO: Attempt by a man to approach the Khateeb during Jumu’ah Khutbah was thwarted by security officials on Friday pic.twitter.com/mFrNu5iUt6

— Haramain Sharifain (@hsharifain) May 21, 2021

Last month in April, a man was detained when he was spotted chanting in the Harmain while wielding a knife.

ARMED MAN, CHANTING SLOGANS OF TERRORIST OUTFIT, ARRESTED FROM HOLY KAABA

The attacks seemed to continue in Islam’s holiest site. The worst siege took place in the year 1979, when an invader, Juhayman Al-Otaibi, along with his accomplice took hundreds of pilgrims hostile at Kaaba as he also declared himself the modern-day reformer ‘Imam Mahdi’.

Otaibi who was a preacher along with his followers staged an armed takeover of Kaaba. He took control of the Grand mosque in the wee hours of 20 November 1979, when at least 50,000 Muslims from all over the world gathered for Fajar prayers.

As the imam finished leading prayers, the assailants seized the microphone and took control by displaying the weapons. The siege lasted for around 20 days, in which 255 pilgrims, troops, and attackers got killed while more than 500 suffered injuries.