More Muslims screwing other Muslims for $$$

[Lyzandra Daria]

Mecca-bound Muslims jilted by travel agency

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?sectio ... id=8416803

Hundreds of Muslims hoping to go on a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca have been left stranded by a Chicago travel agency that had promised to deliver the proper visas for travel.

The faithful make their way to Mecca, a procession that millions of Muslims have walked in a ritual of shared sacrifice dating back thousands of years.

Rukhsana Imtiaz, of Brownstown, Mich., was supposed to be in the middle of the pilgrimage Wednesday night with her husband.

"Going for Hajj is a lifetime decision," Imtiaz said. "We searched the internet and we found this website and everything was very promising, very nice, so we just went ahead and booked our package through this agent."

They and several hundred other Islamic faithful from across the country, had made arrangements with VIP Travel Services, whose website has Hajj-2011 on the front page and proclaims it is "a company you can trust."

VIP packages offered at almost $4,000 per person. Economy travel at almost $3,000 listed as sold out.

Imtiaz said she and her husband paid $5,000 each and set up care for their three children.

"We try to teach them that we're Muslims and we live in a free country and now they're looking at their mom and dad and their fellow Muslims have been cheated by their own fellow Muslim," Imtiaz said. "It's embarrassing."

ABC7 traced VIP Travel to a North Side strip mall but found it shuttered, the door locked and the office empty.

Then the wife of the travel agency owner showed up and invited the I-Team inside to speak with her husband on the telephone. Rashid Faridi told Chuck Goudie that the necessary visa's were not issued for 272 of his Hajj travelers.

GOUDIE: "What's going to happen to the money paid by the 272 people?"

FARIDI: "Right. We are trying to do that..."

Faridi was on the phone because he had just wrapped up a meeting in New York with some of the jilted Hajj customers, who have now posted their meeting video on You Tube.

The marooned Muslim worshippers have also started a website that accuses VIP Travel of running a "Hajj scam."

"I think he was in over his head," said former VIP Travel employee Ayub Rangoonwala

Rangoonwala said the travel agency did not intend to cheat anyone but that the owner promised more visas then he obtained.

"When we weren't getting the visas and it was becoming frustrating and customers were becoming inpatient and kept on asking the same questions," Rangoonwala said. "I was advised not to answer my phone, but because I wanted to pass along as much information as I could to the customer I would pick up my phone and if he would see that he would get upset and angry and yell for no apparent reason."

The Saudi embassy in Washington has accredited about a dozen travel agencies across the country. On Wednesday, the Saudi information director said, "VIP Travel is not an approved Hajj travel agency. All travel agencies wishing to engage in Hajj travel, must comply with Saudi rules and be approved by the Ministry of Hajj. Vip Travel is not. The embassy became aware of VIP Travel after the consulate section received numerous complaints about VIP Travel."

"I don't know if there's a black market or if he was buying them through a wholesaler, if there is an authorized wholesaler," Rangoonwala said.

Faridi told ABC7 that some visas were being sold for up to $2,000 each even though it is illegal to buy Hajj visas at all according to Saudi officials.

"It's because of them that this is happening," Imtiaz said. "If they hadn't put such strict rules on how to get a visa, this would not be happening. If there was not agents involved in getting those visas I don't think we'd have a problem or anything like that."

Most of those who didn't receive visas have had their passports returned to them.

Getting their money back is another thing.

The airfare, hotels and ground transportation were all prepaid.

According to an email Faridi sent to the I-Team, he claimed to be in Saudi Arabia Wednesday night trying to retrieve the funds.

But his email also said, "We are in big trouble."
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This travel agent might not have been trying to screw fellow Muslims, but that is the result. Saudi has the right to designate authorized agents (so they get their 'kick-backs').

I'm glad these people got screwed. Saudi's don't want (potentially) Americanized Muslims coming to Saudi and spreading (gasp) democratic views among the Hajj participants. Saudi's want to keep the 'concession' on Hajj and maintain control of a crowd that can get quite out of control.

IMO, Hajj is just a remnant of the pagan beliefs/practices of pre-Muslim Arabs.

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[Lyzandra Daria]

Hajj pilgrims block Benghazi runway

http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/Hajj- ... y-20111103

About 120 hajj pilgrims from Benghazi blocked the city airport's runway late on Wednesday after a Saudi Arabian plane due to take them for the annual Muslim pilgrimage failed to arrive.

The angry men and women, after waiting for nearly 18 hours for the Saudi plane to arrive, marched to the runaway and stopped a Tripoli-bound domestic flight from taking off from Benghazi's Benina airport, an AFP correspondent reported from the runway.

All the pilgrims were relatives of fighters killed in battles against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces since the uprising against him erupted in Benghazi, in February and ended with his death on October 20.

"We have been waiting since 05:00 for the plane to arrive but there is no news. Nobody is telling us what is happening," Hafed Al-Jilali, co-ordinator for the hajj pilgrims in Benghazi told AFP.

Jilali and other pilgrims, shouting "Allahu Akbar [God is greatest]", sat in front of the plane headed for Tripoli and stopped it from taking off.

Jilali said the pilgrims had also forced two military aircraft to land at another small base on Saturday.

"We are members from families of those killed in the revolution and this is the treatment we are getting," said Adel Ali, a businessman from Benghazi who was on his first hajj trip along with his mother.

"This is not what we expect after we gave our blood for the revolution," he added.

"The government must ensure that pilgrims are properly treated. Every pilgrim here has lost somebody or the other in the revolution."

Some of the pilgrims intervened to ensure the AFP correspondent and photographer were allowed into the airport after they were initially stopped by security staff from approaching the runway.

"Libya is free and the blood of our martyrs will not go waste. This government is bad and our plight must be reported," shouted Walid al-Leyas, whose mother was one of the pilgrims headed to hajj.

"Every day for the past four days I am bringing my mother to the airport and then taking her back. Today the airport officials said the plane was coming, but it has still not arrived," a furious Leyas said.
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Again...Saudi doesn't want this 'type' coming to Hajj. They are 'trouble makers' (just from the quotes in this article).

"...Our (insert relationship of deceased person) died for freedom..." Saudi doesn't want their citizens hearing that. They have a monarchy and don't want these 'anarchists' causing problems.

"...We deserve better treatment from our government..." Whiners. Your 'government' was a dispicable dictatorship which your deceased relative died to help overthrow. Don't blame Saudi Arabia for Libya's failure to treat you like some glorified relative of a self-proclaimed martyr.

Just accept that your Hajj is nothing more than a pagan ritual that has been maintained through your Muslim belief/superstition. Get over it. You aren't entitled to anything.

[Lyzandra Daria]

Gees, if this keeps up...nobody will go to hajj

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Haj operators continue to 'cheat' pilgrims

http://www.kashmirdispatch.com/headline ... lgrims.htm

The so-called tour operators, who robbed off hundreds of Hajj aspirants in Kashmir, have unashamedly begun to regroup to carry on their clandestine business. They have launched an advertisement campaign in a section of local newspapers to pacify the peoples’ anger. They are also reported to have established contacts with the officers in police and civil administration to escape action.

Hajeej India Hospitality Private Limited, which decamped with more than 15 crore rupees burglarized from over 500 Hajj aspirants, in an advertisement campaign launched through some local newspapers is now offering ‘complimentary’ Umrah in March/April, next year, for those intending pilgrims, whom they robbed off on the premise of sending on Hajj. The agency has also promised to refund the money it has run off with.

One of the Hajj aspirants, who was cheated by the Hajeej India, said that it was unbelievable that the people who could be so mendacious and deceitful that would make mockery of the basic principle of Islam like Hajj can be any more true and rightful in their latest offers. This is yet another brazen attempt to make the otherwise grave fraud die down eventually.

“They have locked down their office, ran away to unknown place, and through newspaper advertisements ask us to send details for refund of our money. If they are so sincere and truthful, let they give their telephone or cell numbers for contact or open up their office”, said another person.

“They are only buying time. We know once the issue is gone, they would retract from all what they are promising us in advertisements”, he said.

The resentful aspirants complain that police is not acting in a way it should. “In other cases police act without any delay and arrest offenders within no-time, why they have not acted against the Hajeej and other people who robbed us off in the name of a sacred religious act”, said Ghulam Mohiuddin, one of the persons who got cheated by Hajeej.

Some lower rung officials in police and civil administration admit that it is an attempt by Hajeej to soothe the feelings of those who felt cheated by it. The agency is following a pattern in this regard.

“The very day they promised the Hajj aspirants to give them travel documents, the Hajeej owners locked their office and fled away to Delh”, another intending pilgrim said.

The Hajeej people are reported to have established direct and indirect contacts with police to get them go soft on them. The agency has already done a great home work to make friends in the government by sending some 50 influential people including a minister, his wife, a senior police officer of the rank of IG, his wife and several former and sitting law officers on Hajj.

The other two Hajj and Umra operators—Al Balagh and Bahreen—too have launched an advertisement campaign to get into act again.

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Money...money...money. Greedy, money grubbing Muslims screwing fellow Muslims in connection with a 'holy' duty.

But, only the poor slobs get screwed. If you are in a position of 'power' you get your trip...paid for by the poor slobs


This is the example of Muhammad in action today.
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[Lyzandra Daria]

Religious Affairs Ministry Staff Arrested for Hajj Fraud

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/rel ... aud/476503

Police in Banten have arrested three officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs who allegedly took money from Muslims hoping to perform the hajj pilgrimage this year.

Rangkas Bitung Police Chief Adj. Comr. Mohamad Mujib told Antara on Saturday that dozens of people had paid the officials as much as Rp 50 million ($5,600) each.

When the outraged victims failed to depart Indonesia as promised on Oct. 28, they contacted police.

Mujib identified one of the officials as Isep Saepudin, who along with his two colleagues, were based in Lebak district.

The trio had admitted to their crimes and faced a maximum of four years in jail for fraud and theft, he said.

Mujib appealed for other potential victims to come forward so the case could be processed quickly.

The head of hajj affairs at the Lebak offices of the religious ministry said he knew nothing about the fraud.
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Sure the 'head of hajj affairs' knew nothing...right.

At least in Jakarta there is some prompt action against these people. But four years for fraud and theft in connection with this very important (to superstitious Muslims) religious 'rite' seems insufficient.

This is supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Muslims and Muslims screwed other Muslims out of their trip of a lifetime. That should at least earn the perpetrators a public caning.

Remember, Allah doesn't forget. These people will never earn the privilege of meeting Mo in the afterlife (or whatever they believe happens when they die). They screwed their fellow Muslims for the all mighty dollar. (*gasp*)

But, then...that's what Mo was all about. Mo was a thief, rapist and murderer. They were just following the example of their 'profit' Mo.
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[Lyzandra Daria]

Whiner
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Birmingham travel agent guilty over 'slum' trip to Mecca

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15600465

A Birmingham travel agent who sold a family a £10,000 trip to Mecca but left them sleeping in "slum" conditions has been convicted of fraud.

Chowdhury Haffez Ahmad, 38, who ran Hellenic Travels, was also found guilty of three charges of breaching package tour regulations.

Cockroaches were found in a fridge during the Noori family's trip in 2009, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

Ahmad, of Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry is to be sentenced on 9 December.

'So dirty'
Recorder Mark Rhind told Ahmad, who was released on bail, that he could be sent to jail.

His Hellenic Travels business in Small Heath, Birmingham, has closed.

Millions of Muslims make the annual spiritual journey or Hajj to Mecca.

Mohamed Noori, from Rowley Regis, travelled with his wife and two daughters, believing they would be staying in four and five star hotels, but ended up in what was described as a "slum", the court heard.

The family filmed parts of their trip, with some footage showing filthy conditions and dinner presented in a plastic bag.

Mr Noori found out on the plane he was not on a direct flight and he would be coming back three days later than scheduled, the court was told.

Speaking outside court, Mr Noori said: "We had cockroaches. It was a small room and.. four of us, me and my family, stayed in it.

"It was really hard to move about as well. The bathroom was so dirty."

The Noori family are waiting to see if they will get their money back.

Mr Noori thanked trading standards, which brought the case.

Liberal Democrat councillor Neil Eustace said: "This is a sad case. It's not the only one in the area and we're determined to crack down on this and with the help of the courts we'll do precisely that."
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I thought the whole point of hajj was to travel like Mohammed. They should have been happy to have accommodations in a tent w/ sleeping pallets, cooking over an open campfire and lucky to have access to a porta-potty.

This man is obviously too 'westernized'. His expectations are too high. He expected accommodations such as he would get if he stayed in a hotel in a developed country w/ sanitary standards. Saudi Arabia doesn't care and Wahhabi wants pilgrims to adhere to their brand of Islam.
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