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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Ryan Fahey

Man arrested in Saudi Arabia after dedicating his Mecca pilgrimage to the late Queen

Saudi Arabian security forces have arrested a man who dedicated his Mecca pilgrimage to the late Queen.

The Yemeni national is seen holding a banner announcing his visit to the holy site was in memory of Her Majesty in a video uploaded to social media.

The man is on his Umrah, which is Islam's lesser pilgrimage that can be taken at any time of the year.

In the video he holds up a banner written in both English and Arabic, which reads: "Umrah for the soul of Queen Elizabeth II, may Allah grant her peace in heaven and accept her among the righteous."

The video sparked outrage from devout Muslims when it was shared online.

It was later confirmed the man had been arrested by Saudi Police and will be charged by the public prosecutor for "violating regulations and instructions" of the sacred site.

Non-Muslims are banned from entering the city of Mecca, where the holiest site in Islam, the Grand Mosque, is located (AFP via Getty Images)

Saudi's interior ministry said: "The special forces of the security of the Grand Mosque arrested a resident of Yemeni nationality who appeared in a video clip carrying a banner inside the Grand Mosque, violating the regulations and guidelines for Umrah."

Non-Muslims are barred from entering the city of Mecca, and signs are also banned in the area around the Grand Mosque.

The Yemeni man committed a punishable offence as visitors are prohibited from dedicating their pilgrimage to non-Muslims who have passed.

It comes after state-run TV in Iran sparked outrage by outrageously comparing the Queen with Adolf Hitler and his atrocities.

In a shocking rant by one of stations guests, it was claimed that the Queen is "one of the greatest criminals in the history of mankind" and that her legacy is "full of crime, abomination and filth".

While leaders around the world have offered their condolences at the death of the Queen including Russia's Vladimir Putin, there has been no official statement from Iran.

The country's foreign ministry has not commented on her death or King Charles' accession to the throne.

But there have been offensive comments on government-linked TV channels about the Queen's legacy.

The Queen's coffin arrives at Buckingham Palace in London on September 13 (via REUTERS)

In London this morning the Queen made her final journey home with her coffin having rested overnight at Buckingham Palace.

King Charles III, his wife Camilla and several other members of the Royal Family, including Prince William, the Princess of Wales, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met the Queen's coffin as it arrived at the Palace yesterday evening.

Today, tens of thousands of mourners in central London will watch as the Queen's coffin is taken from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

The procession this afternoon will be led by the King, who will be joined by William and Harry and other senior royals.

The Queen's body will then lie in state in Westminster Hall until her funeral next Monday, September 19.

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