The morning of November 20, 1979 would have seemed like any other in Mecca.

It was warm, the sky was clear, and much of the city was preparing for Fudger Prayer,

the first of five for the day.

The season of Hedge had just ended, and pilgrims from around the world gathered in Islam's

holiest site, the Meschid al-Haram, or Grand Mosque, a massive compound surrounding the

Kaba, an ancient black cubic building that sits in the middle of a vast courtyard.

Muslims call it the House of God, the earthly place they direct their prayers.

On the Islamic calendar, it was the first of Mohara in the year 1400, the first day of the

New Century, when the people of Mecca make their own pilgrimage to the shrine.

Around 100,000 pilgrims filled the courtyard, lined up in concentric circles, facing the

Kaba for Fudger Prayer.

This is the prayer ended.

Shots rang out.

This wasn't a sound any pilgrim expected to hear.

Violence is strictly forbidden in Mecca.

Before the pilgrims could figure out what was happening, a man followed by three gunmen

emerged from the crowd and began walking fiercely towards the mosque's Imam.

The crowd parted as the man charged the minbudder or pulpit and snatched the mic from the terrified

Imam.

The man began to speak Arabic in a thick, better one accent.

He was tall and thin with brown skin and long wavy hair.

His name was Jaheem al-Otaib.

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