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===1987 Mecca massacre===

===1987 Mecca massacre===

In 1987 more than four hundred persons, mostly Iranian Shi'ite pilgrims and about 85 Saudis and security personal, were killed during a demonstration against the "Enemies of Islam" (basically, the United States and Israel) in front of the Grand Mosque.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20091029204548/http://www.geocities.com/martinkramerorg/Hajj.htm#ref32 </ref> Iranian [[hajj]] pilgrims traditionally make up the largest single contingent from any single country.<ref>US Saudi Arabia Diplomatic and Political Cooperation Handbook,  USA International Business Publications, 2007, [http://books.google.com/books?id=ob37QAVkGrgC&q=lunar%2BHijaz#v=snippet&q=lunar%2BHijaz&f=false p. 178.]</ref> Details about the incident and causes remain murky, with the official Saudi version contradicted by Iran's own investigation. <ref>The Muslim World League convened a conference in Mecca in October 1987 condemning Iran for the violence: Iran’s government--a government “accustomed to terrorism and a thirst for Muslim blood”--“solely bears the responsibility for the outrage in God’s holy mosque.” The conference endorsed the measures taken by the Saudi authorities “to quell the sedition and to contain the fires of wickedness.” Kramer, ''Khomeini’s Messengers''.</ref><ref>http://www.shiachat.com/forum/topic/234966843-saudi-propaganda-of-iranian-attack-on-kaabah-1987/ </ref>

In 1987 more than four hundred persons, mostly Iranian Shi'ite pilgrims and about 85 Saudis and security personal, were killed during a demonstration against the "Enemies of Islam" (basically, the United States and Israel) in front of the Grand Mosque.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20091029204548/http://www.geocities.com/martinkramerorg/Hajj.htm#ref32 Khomeini's Messengers in Mecca (Hajj) by Martin Kramer]</ref> Iranian [[hajj]] pilgrims traditionally make up the largest single contingent from any single country.<ref>US Saudi Arabia Diplomatic and Political Cooperation Handbook,  USA International Business Publications, 2007, [http://books.google.com/books?id=ob37QAVkGrgC&q=lunar%2BHijaz#v=snippet&q=lunar%2BHijaz&f=false p. 178.]</ref> Details about the incident and causes remain murky, with the official Saudi version contradicted by Iran's own investigation. <ref>The Muslim World League convened a conference in Mecca in October 1987 condemning Iran for the violence: Iran’s government--a government “accustomed to terrorism and a thirst for Muslim blood”--“solely bears the responsibility for the outrage in God’s holy mosque.” The conference endorsed the measures taken by the Saudi authorities “to quell the sedition and to contain the fires of wickedness.” Kramer, ''Khomeini’s Messengers''.</ref><ref>http://www.shiachat.com/forum/topic/234966843-saudi-propaganda-of-iranian-attack-on-kaabah-1987/ </ref>

Shock over violence just outside the Grand Mosque again sparked a debate across the Muslim world about the Saudis dual role as American ally and Custodian of the Two Holy Custodian of the Islamic Holy Places.<ref>http://introducingislam.org/info/carnage/carnage.php </ref>  [[Ayatollah Khomeini]] condemned the "vile and ungodly Wahhabis" as "lackeys of the United States” and called for the overthrow of the House of Saud.<ref><small>"Iran convened an “International Congress on Safeguarding the Sanctity and Security of the Great Mosque,” under the auspices of the ministry of Islamic guidance and the foreign ministry. Rafsanjani, in addressing the three hundred participants from 36 countries, called for the “liberation” of Mecca and the establishment of an “Islamic International” which would govern Mecca as a free city."</small> Kramer, ''Khomeini’s Messengers''.</ref>  The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) formed a group known as Hezbollah al-Hejaz, more commonly known as Saudi Hezbollah, for this purpose.<ref>https://www.aei.org/publication/saudi-arabias-forgotten-shiite-spring/ </ref>

Shock over violence just outside the Grand Mosque again sparked a debate across the Muslim world about the Saudis dual role as American ally and Custodian of the Two Holy Custodian of the Islamic Holy Places.<ref>http://introducingislam.org/info/carnage/carnage.php </ref>  [[Ayatollah Khomeini]] condemned the "vile and ungodly Wahhabis" as "lackeys of the United States” and called for the overthrow of the House of Saud.<ref><small>"Iran convened an “International Congress on Safeguarding the Sanctity and Security of the Great Mosque,” under the auspices of the ministry of Islamic guidance and the foreign ministry. Rafsanjani, in addressing the three hundred participants from 36 countries, called for the “liberation” of Mecca and the establishment of an “Islamic International” which would govern Mecca as a free city."</small> Kramer, ''Khomeini’s Messengers''.</ref>  The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) formed a group known as Hezbollah al-Hejaz, more commonly known as Saudi Hezbollah, for this purpose.<ref>https://www.aei.org/publication/saudi-arabias-forgotten-shiite-spring/ </ref>