Idaho Reports; INEL And the Earthquake and Mecca.

The funding for this program is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. And the friends of four 10 and 12 Idaho's recent earthquake centered in the central part of the state not far from the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory has reopened the old question of the suitability of this site for nuclear research. We look at that story tonight. Good evening. The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory located west of Idaho Falls is the site of some of the nation's most sophisticated advanced nuclear research. It is a sprawling complex that in a very important way is to Idahoans are a real subject of pride and joy. The site is a big employer. It's also a status symbol in eastern Idaho and it only stands to become more important to the state. The irony facility is in the lead at the moment is the location for a new multimillion

dollar production reactor facility that would manufacture material for nuclear weapons despite its long history and general widespread acceptance among the Idaho population. There have always been some mines questions nagging questions if you will about the safety of the eye on the site. The location has always bothered some of those who are bothered by its location we're only more concerned after that recent earthquake in central Idaho. The official Department of Energy position is that the eye the site weathered the earthquake in grand style but still the questions persist. Tonight we look at some of those questions beginning first with producer Paul the whistle. Was considered an ideal location for the building and testing of nuclear reactors. This Department of Energy site now called the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory covers almost 900 square miles and employs over 10000 people.

The economy of nearby Idaho Falls is heavily dependent on the continued growth and prosperity of the island he l. And last year local Chamber members lobbied aggressively in Washington D.C. to bring a government plan $4.5 billion weapons materials producing reactor to this site a final location for the new production reactor has not yet been chosen but the IAEA is now one of the prime contenders for the tritium producing reactor. While proponents of the new production reactor are being brought here praise the suitability of this location. Opponents have for some years claimed that geologically the site is not suited for such sensitive nuclear research or for the storage of radioactive waste. And when an earthquake measuring six point nine on the Richter scale rocked this region just a month ago. The old arguments about this seismically active region not being suited for nuclear work resurfaced. The Idaho National Engineering

Laboratory sits on the Snake River plane a plane that is in geologic terms very young. A recent PBS documentary called The Making of a continent chronicled the formation of this plane in relation to another geologically active area nearby Yellowstone National Park. It is now believed that the recurring eruptions in the last two million years of Yellowstone have been caused by a hot spot beneath the surface of the continent. It is extraordinary. But this hotspot appears to have burned to trail across the continent as it drifted two inches a year. The track of this hotspot is the level Snake River plain in Idaho. Volcano such as these. The creators of the moon have erupted within the last two thousand

years. The love that flows from them spreads out in thin sheets across the level plain. The recent earthquake was centered just 50 miles from this nuclear site. But scientists say that shocks felt here were one tenth the level of those at the epicenter. This they say is because the Snake River plane is in a different geological region then the surrounding areas. And according to deal with officials there are no earthquake fault lines actually running through the site. There does not appear to be a single fault. For example on the on the Snake River plane and and it appears that there is some dampening effect of the geoscientist can't agree on what that is. But the shock was mitigated pretty rapidly as it came down towards the site so something is there that's working in our favor.

The only damage resulting from the quake were some hairline cracks to support buildings if anything according to officials. The earthquake has actually enhance the chances of getting the new production reactor here. We are in the very unique position of having almost for the first time in the industry real honest to gosh data our reactors like all of the commercial power reactors are designed against empirical models. And we have real honest data that validates those models. And I don't think anyone can can look at that data and conclude anything other than our reactors were were not damaged in any way by the earthquake and certainly therefore the NPR is not an issue. So why don't you think there might be some skepticism on the part of congressmen who would just not even know everything worked fine during the earthquake. They would rather not place it in a place that is obviously seismically active.

Certainly they're going to be skeptics. On the other hand I think that the fact that that we had four good sized reactors operating when the earthquake happened and had no damage and in fact demonstrated that all of the reactors performed just as just as designed I would think would be very reassuring to them. Every reactor that's operating in the country today every commercial power reactor was designed and is operated based on experiments and experience gained at this site. The people who have worked here over the years are internationally renowned for their operating and safety experience and for the kinds of things that have been developed here that have led into the licensing process. And so to me if you want to build a new reactor and operate it

the logical place to go is the place where the world's best knowledge on reactor safety resides. And that's the whole National Engineering Laboratory. After speaking with Wade Idaho's governor John Evans said he is fully in support of locating the new production reactor at the site. He had initially expressed concerns after the earthquake about the coming to the island. Idaho Senator James McClure has never wavered in his support of the NPR coming to the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory and after the earthquake he praised side officials and said the deal had come through the earthquake with flying colors. What it proves is you can build a facility at that site. That is not going to be damaged by an earthquake. There might have been speculation about that if we had not had the earthquake. But having had it and seen the performance of those installations out there nothing was damaged everything functioned the way it was supposed to function proof proves that it can be done. We continue the exploration of the geophysical characteristics of the area where the IAE

facility is located now with Dr. Spencer wood Boise State University geology professor and a man who has already done considerable study and analysis of the recent earthquake in central Idaho. We ask you just quickly Dr. Wood for a little more analysis of what this area is like in a geophysical sense. Well the area north of the National Engineering Lab was in the Basin and Range province. There had been scarps or earthquake scarps detected there in earlier studies by Tim Scott with the U.S. Geological Survey that had broken broken within the last ten or twelve thousand years. Not a great deal of attention or funding has been focused on studies of those particular scarps by Scarpe you mean scarps are physical physical breaks like the break that presently runs along the base of the last of a range but had been rounded and eroded to some extent. Those those have been studied but they haven't really been debated in the scientific community because at that time nobody had

a great deal of interest in earthquakes in Idaho. Nevertheless much of the basin and range we feel is capable of a magnitude 7 earthquakes along these these ranges and basins. This particular area where where this earthquake epicenter occurred and this break occurred was an area that had a pronounced lack of seismicity relative to the area over by Stanly and farther east towards McCall and the cascade or going to the farther west in that direction and farther east over towards Yellowstone National Park and hadn't been like where the earthquake occurred in 1959. And I think people will now be pointing out that this was an area perhaps of a seismic gap and what stresses have been stored for several thousand years and we're just now released. The question is raised perhaps such a seismic gap exists at the base of the high range and I think that's a very valid kind of question. OK those are strictly geological points regardless of whether there's a reactor there or now. OK we saw in the video in Paula's videotape a little bit about the

volcanic activity that formed the Snake River plain. What can you tell me about that and its relevance to the question we're looking at tonight. Well the creators of the moon lies just just to the west of our and it's an area of repeated basalt volcanism. It is not highly explosive volcanism such as we had at Mount St. Helens. It's a little bit more benign in that the flows don't devastate areas for a 15 mile perimeter when they erupt. They come out as rather soupy flows that move along at 10 or 15 miles an hour and cover quite a quiet area. Those are the creators of the moon area will definitely erupt again. And studies by Milt Coontz and a number of others with the Geological Survey have shown that they are in a statistical basis somewhat overdue. The magma system should erupt somewhat more often than it appears to have erupted since the last of the last eruption there which was as the tape indicated about 2000 years. Yeah around 2000 years ago. I seem to recall in an age of around 4500 for the most

recent one I see. OK. You heard Mr. Wade the ideal the Department of Energy manager on that tape say that there was a dampening effect at the site for some reason and the damage was right off the site was in some cases much more serious than right on the site. How do you explain that. Well I would hope that we have a good explanation of that some. Now the the information that's really critical is that is the information from the accelerometers that were at the and the site and hopefully we will hear about those tonight. It's my understanding they recorded about three percent. Gee that seems somewhat low and that's similar to the accelerations that we probably experienced here in Boise. That's about equivalent to earthquake intensity 5. I think we're all surprised that they were as low but we don't know what the array of size of accelerometers was and we don't fully understand the so-called dampening effect of the sneak of a plane.

There's a lot of considerations that need to go into studying of earthquake ground motion not just a few accelerometers sites located at aspecific point they need to look at it on a more regional basis because there are radiation patterns from faults when they break and you may have nodes of Excel that are of high ground motion that might have just been at the site only a detailed micro intensity map will show that there's a lot of information that will be accumulated within this next year by studies of that area. And I think we should withhold judgment. Where are you as you sort of feel it till those come in. Right. You sort of transitioned into my last question then which is do we have enough information to say with with a with a degree of certainty that this site is suitable for the kinds of things that do take place there or might take place there in the future. I would say no we don't. There have been very few reports and have been argued among the national scientific and engineering community in the manner in which critical decisions like this need to be made. I wouldn't I couldn't call the shots now via cheapshot to say

yes or no it's a safe place. Those reports need to be argued out of Idaho at national meetings of engineering and geophysical societies so that they are brought forth and put to the public and to the community in a very credible scientific way and we hope that's going to be done. We'll come back to you. Thank you very much. Let's get another view of these questions now from Brent Russell. Mr. Russell is the supervisor of GMG Idaho's geosciences division e.g. Engy is a major I the contractor and of course Mr. Russell is very familiar with the site. He joins us tonight from Pocatello. Is it your feeling I guess it is Mr. Russell and the Department of Energy is that the damage there really wasn't any damage from the earthquake at the site. Well that's correct. Based on the data that's been accumulated by the structural engineers that we've been working with at the end here we have not been able to detect any damage whatsoever. And the reactor facilities. As the film strip the film clip did indicate there were some

hairline fracture some hairline cracks that we noted in the administrative non-reactive related facilities but these were really quite minor. I'd like to go on if I may and just indicate that. From our perspective this was a very significant seismic event and one that was certainly of great concern to all residents in Idaho and particularly those in Southeast Idaho based on data that's been collected and so far primarily by the National Earthquake Information Service 183 stations have been used to determine the magnitude of this quake. It's now a 7.1. I would like to clarify that right. OK well let me take you back just briefly here to for a moment to some of the points that Dr. Wecht makes. He wonders he was surprised he says as apparently many people are at this dampening effect that Mr. Wade talked about on the videotape can you tell me any more about that. Well the dampening effect. Has been a subject of extensive

controversy for many years. I think the best way to deal with your question is to look at the data that we have collected during this particular event. The numbers of the scientists at the irony all are responsible for maintaining five seismic stations in an adjacent to this facility. And we also maintain 15 strong motion excel or graphs at the various facilities these Excel or graphs or what we use to collect ground acceleration data which doctor would refer to 14 or 15 of these instruments worked properly during the earthquake and the ground accelerations that we measured were between point four Gs and point six inches. So what does that tell you. Well we had developed a series of predictive models that we have used to design the existing facilities at the eye anyhow. And this particular set of data corresponds very much in line with predictive

models and the predictive models based on the intensity of this earthquake and the distance from the eye in the L we would be able to we would have predicted approximately 0.05 2.0 60s for experience at the eye anyhow. Until we go through a detailed analysis of all of the seismic data that we are currently. Building up since this particular earthquake it's going to be very difficult to say a great deal more about the decoupling or the attenuation due to the plane itself. And I say Well Dr. Woods says it's his opinion. If I understood him correctly that there is not adequate data to to to say with some degree of certainty with some degree of definition that this site really is as suitable as is as you think it is for example. Well my only response would be that I believe that we have to have developed a reasonable understanding of the of the seismic characteristics

of the plane in order to have developed our predictive and formulas. And based on the data that we have collected during this particular event. I would say that. Our predictive formulas certainly are not out in right field and suggest that we have at least a reasonable understanding of the seismic characteristics associated with the fault zone to the northwest of the eye anyhow. So in a word it's a safe site. I believe it is based with the data that we have today. OK we'll come back in a moment sir. Thank you very much. I give my final view of this tonight comes from Janice burns. She is a leader of the anti-nuclear group the Snake River Alliance and the coordinator of a statewide task force on the proposed new production reactor which I mentioned earlier I was in the lead for right now. You've heard the scientists talk here. Ms. Berg what what's your concern what's your group's concern about the questions that are raised if any about the earthquake.

Well first time I say that I'm not a geologist so I'm not speaking from that viewpoint. I'm speaking from the viewpoint of the citizens organization that regards themselves as a watchdog that we are here to ask questions and to. Talk about what kind of impact something like new production reactor would have in Idaho. As far as what I've heard so far. I'd like to respond to something that Mr. Wade said at the beginning of the show and he said he felt that he was reassured by this experience with the earthquake that everything was fine. But this is just one. One earthquake. My question is what happens if we have earthquakes bigger than this. And he also said that this was a good sized good good sized reactors that weathered the earthquake. From my understanding the reactors that I feel are relatively small test reactors nothing like what the new production reactor would be which is a very large reactor larger than anything that's out at any hour right now. So I think we're you know there's a size difference here. We're talking about. And one final point I'd like

to make is that. So far we only heard about the reactors that we heard nothing about in any other facilities out there about the waste storage area and those kinds of things more than just reactors. And so far I haven't heard much say us have concerns about how those facilities might have weathered this event as well. Yes I definitely do. Well let me ask you about something Mr. Russell says Isn't he right when he says that they have what he what he believes at least to be very good data about the effect of geophysical activity on that site and he makes the case I think quite convincingly from his perspective that they know what's going to happen. Well like I said I'm not a geologist I'm not a scientist so I'm looking at this from a citizen viewpoint. And. I think that we can't make such a rash statement on the basis only one earthquake. When Dr. Wood was talking about some of the studies had been done earlier there there's a fellow who from the USGS Mr. Koonce has done a study on volcanism and his theory is that

earthquake in the surrounding areas could indeed trigger volcanic activity on this think plane. So that's something to take into consideration also. Right. Well the immediate one of the immediate questions I guess is the future of the new production reactor which you're very concerned about. You heard Mr. Wade say that this actually will enhance the chances of it being located in Idaho because they can sort of in a way prove that it would be safe there. I guess you don't buy that. Well I think what we need to do is make sure it's very thoroughly studied before any decision is made. The environmental impact study is coming up very soon and this should be a major focus and attention in that study. Senator McClurg doesn't seem to think so but I as a citizen I think we deserve to know exactly what this is going to mean. Let me open this up and invite you to get back in when it seems appropriate. First let me go back to Mr. Russell in Pocatello. When the environmental impact statement that's coming on NPR will it address these questions of both the earthquake possibility and the volcanic possibility that Dr. Wood talked about.

Yes. Well the environmental impact statement will again contribute to our understanding our geologic characteristics of the siting of new production reactor at Idaho. There will be a great deal of work conducted in conjunction with the preparation of that. Yes. And that should be a very comprehensive document that will be subject to extensive peer review. And I guess it would be safe to say that your view of that at this point would be that it would simply bear out your contention that it's a good location for a facility like that. Well I think that might be a bit presumptuous on my part. I would anticipate that we will continue to learn a great deal more about the characteristics of the plane particularly with regard to siting of the a.r. And that's really about all that I think we could say at this point and I say okay well let me go back to what Dr. Wood on what specifically should we be looking for in relation to that specific question of

whether another major facility should be located there. Well from a geologic point of view the question should be asked is Can earthquake occur closer than 50 miles to any of their critical facilities. I'm not convinced that there's a 50 mile limit that prohibits earthquakes any closer. There does seem to be an effect and a very interesting effect in this take over in that earthquake seem to be 40 or 50 miles from the topographic edge of the plane. And there are some theoretical reasons that we think why that why it may occur and it currently at least 50 miles from mine. Yes of course. And but that's something that could be very easily understood. I think if we if we put in somewhere around a year's effort there's a lot of questions that need good credible scientific study. And as was Mr. Russell mentioned good peer review. I would like to ask what sort of peer review is envisioned. I would hope that if some kind of a blue ribbon panel be called of people that have no financial or vested interest in the siting of the production reactor clearly

anybody living in Idaho Falls area employed by any firm and for that matter many of the people here in Idaho have a vested interest you have to have someone that is detached from that situation. Would that be a good excuse me would that be a good idea Mr. Russell it's my understanding and we're getting a little bit out of my area of expertise but the the I guess the environmental impact statement will be prepared by some organization that at this point in time is not determined and that funding that will be utilized to support the preparation of that document will be coming from Washington Department of Energy. Washington D.C. Would you agree though with Dr. Wood that those are the questions that we need to ask. Well I think those are some of the questions. There are other questions that we are also interested ourselves. But I'd like to know at any time there are facilities that have been constructed at the irony.

We've always looked at the worst possible case. We don't consider an earthquake 50 miles away to be the worst possible case. OK. Back to what Bill. I would just I would ask this question if this may be getting a bit technical but what to what. Earthquake acceleration level. Is it considered these these structures these containment structures are built to withstand. I guess we would call it the say shut down earthquake. In the lingo of what can they stand what what what are they built structurally to stand because there's more to it than that it would be the frequencies and the duration of shaking and all those things considered. The number we do use is what is the maximum acceleration. Can you give me an not terribly technical answer to that Mr. Russell. Yes. The ground acceleration that most of the facilities on the eye the all are designed to withstand range from approximately eight point three five Gs to about point four or five Gs. Substantially more than that you recorded in October about 10 times.

Right. Quick comment on that Dr. WOOD. Yeah. Because I've never been tested. The structure in the larger structures and never been tested at those but they certainly should be built to those those levels and I I feel that that's a reasonable level of structural strength and that there's many things about reactors that and just the behavior of large structures that we don't know at levels and say point four point four or five Gee that will ultimately get tested somewhere. Let me go back to Miss Byrne One final subject turn we're about out of time but I want to get back to the question that you raised about the waste disposal the waste storage at the site. What are your specific concerns as they relate to the earthquake you just don't know what. Well we haven't heard any kind of reports. I understand the governor got a preliminary assessment from Mr. way to the Danielle. I tried to get a copy of it and haven't been able to do that so far and that's. Can you tell me anything about that Mr. Russell. Far as I know the reports that I have seen

show no evidence of any damage whatsoever other than to the administrative building the way authorities felt that as far as I know the structures there are intact and there's been no damage but it was worth while one of our main concerns all along has been the inaccessibility information really runs everything they inspected facilities they set the standards and they have basically I'm not getting any information and it's particularly bad in the case to NPR because this is something related to our national security. It's very easy for them to say you can't have this information because national security reasons so you know it's something that we're concerned about that that the citizens of Idaho be allowed access to this information so we can you know make these kind of decisions. Does she have a good point Mr. Russell quickly. Well I think that my response will be what other organization or what other agency spends her time to monitor it. So while we do think we're applying for and report the data and present it to the public and I think the earthquake that it will

always be reported the same way. OK Mr. Russell you're very good to join us tonight. I know you've had a tough drive down the park. Tell him we appreciate your being there with us tonight. Thank you sir. Thank you very much. Chris Burns Dr. Wecht thank you. We appreciate it. That's our report tonight. We'll be back with another tomorrow. Mark Johnson about. The funding for this program is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the friends of four 10 and 12. The funding for this program is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the friends of four 10 and 12.

Good evening and happy Thanksgiving. Most Americans are of course using this most American of holidays to give thanks and in one way or another to celebrate tonight we offer a rare glimpse of a celebration of another kind that takes place every year halfway around the world. It is the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. Two million people gathering in the largest gathering on the face of the earth. The special documentary report we broadcast tonight was prepared by public television station Kaohsiung in Huntington Beach California. And it's called Pilgrimage to Mecca. Nowhere else in the world do so many people come to a single place at a single time. Or a single purpose.

What purpose is the heart when you will hold the pilgrimage to Mecca. Your western Saudi Arabia stands for the most revered symbol of Islam. A simple stone cube book would be the first temple of God. It is here that more than two million monks from every corner of Riegert come to fulfil the most sacred obligation to us. It. Is a pilgrimage which non-Muslims are not permitted to attain and that has only recently been allowed to be filled. During the next half hour. You will be witness to an extraordinary religious

experience unlike any other in the world. The Pilgrims come before Islam religion has no priesthood ritual for aerogel African or Asian. Men traditionally dressed the same way. To see pieces of the Arabic word for it. It also signifies the sacred state of spirit or injury as they undertake to follow the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad footsteps nearly 40 centuries old Muslim women to make the pilgrimage wearing a modified hood with their heads. During the five days of the pilgrimage the men and women alike are bound to avoid obscenity sex and Coral's they must not cut their nails or

shave or kill any living thing except that one sacrifice each will make to Allah. These next days must be totally devoted to God. The pilgrims are well aware that the name of their faith Islam literally means surrender. So letting one's entire self to. The city of Genta is not part of the holy territory but it is the gateway to it for pilgrims arriving from afar. Generalize on the Red Sea about 45 miles west of Mecca. And is Saudi Arabia's largest port a bustling city of 750000 its airport was built in 1950. Later expanded and recently entirely rebuilt mainly to accommodate the swelling numbers of pilgrims every year. The port of Jeddah can handle another 100000 or more pilgrims.

In fact during the days before the pilgrimage enough pilgrims will arrive from foreign lands to more than double general population. Here in Jeddah. The Pilgrims see the first evidence of all the organizational effort put into the pilgrimage by the government of Saudi Arabia. It is modern planning after all that allows such a huge number of pilgrims to perform an ancient right. A government agency appoints guides to lead groups of pilgrims through the stations of the heart. They arrange for every service from transportation men sleeping tents. To ensuring that each Pilgrim performs the rites correctly.

Separation of Church and State is a western notion among Muslims. Islam is a complete way of life has been since the time of Mohammed. And it is the Saudi Kingdom's honor and duty to oversee the pilgrims. The government for example built the apartments that comprise the pilgrim city in Jeddah where the travelers stay until all is ready for the 45 mile ride to Mecca. Rulers of the holy territory traditionally have required each pilgrim to pay a fee which covered his basic expenses. Once a considerable source of income. It is only a token nowadays that the kingdom has oil wealth to pay most of the expense of conducting the pilgrimage and maintaining the holy territory. For the incredible number of people amassing. There was a surprisingly great amount of

patience and cooperation. Everyone after all is waiting for the same thing. But buses that will finally take them to Mecca and Bluestar the blowhard. It is a hectic time in Jeddah these first days of the Islamic month of Zuel the month of the pilgrims has almost 100000 vehicles all travelling in the same direction. Leave the city. In the sacred book of the Koran. It is written that the pilgrimage should be experienced

only by muscle. Near the border to the holy territory. Passports are checked. Each built one must be able to prove that he is a Muslim. To obtain the special pilgrims visa. One must be Muslim. Just to see the holy places in person. The only known exception occurred in 1853 when the British adventurer. So Richard Burton joined the pilgrimage disguised as an Arab. He later wrote of the experience. A century later. Modern roadsigns and an off ramp for the modern traveller that he is approaching the border of the holy territory. There are still 14 miles to Mecca. There is little doubt the pilgrimage could ever include so many people without the efforts of a Saudi Arabian government. What inroads once were camel trails. And providing the transport.

Not to mention all the manpower assigned to the pilgrimage. Fewer than 100000 pilgrims annually made the Hajj before motor transport was established in 1926 by the founder of the modern kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Abdulazeez also King Abdulaziz led a religious reformation placing strong emphasis on the Bilbrey image of the carried forward by his successors sons old Faisal Khalid and the current King Fahd. Mecca. The holy city of Islam. It is here that Mohammed was born. Here that he received his first revelation and here that can be found. The muslims. Ultimate symbol. Of one God.

Upon arrival in Mecca. The Pilgrims proceed immediately to the great mosque. Two million people. All with the same destination. Inside the mosque. A pinnacle of Islamic art and architecture. Prohibited from depicting human or animal figures in religious art. Muslim artist created rich abstract painter. Arabesque to cover domes and arches. In the center of this elaborate ornamentation. Stands a simple stone cube 50 feet high. And empty inside. It is the very goal of the pilgrimage. The ABA believed to be the first temple of God. The cub is the focal point of the Islamic faith for it's estimated three

quarters of a billion followers around the world. Nearly four of the world's population. Five times a day. Wherever they may be they pray to Allah facing the direction of the Kaaba to symbolize their unity before their greed. And at least once in a lifetime. Those who are able come to live for a paltry Low-Carb on the pilgrims stopped to wash themselves the ablution required before. Dilution at Mecca is special. All the water is piped in from the well of Zamzam where it is believed that Hagar the wife of the first prophet Abraham quench their thirst. Lookaround teachers that the original cut was built by Islam's first prophet Abraham. And his son Ishmael. It is the same Abraham of the old testament and it is this patriarch's belief

in One God that links Islam's roots to Judaism and Christianity. Inside the courtyard of a great mass of pilgrims immediately circled the car seven times in a ritual known as the tell one. They do it because Mohammad who was himself in the act of Abraham. It is one of the many prescribed rituals to be performed at specified times and specified places during the Pilger's. Always covering the God used the kiss was a black cloth embroidered in gold with verses from the Koran. This holy book revealed to Mohammed No-Man's every Muslim is to make the pilgrimage provided that he is physically mentally and financially able to do so. In the Koran it is stated that pilgrimage to the bar is a service due to

God from those who are able. And as for him who is able and believe or not God can afford to dispense with such creatures. The. Station of Abraham last can contains the stone on which it is believed. Abraham stood to complete the first job which has been rebuilt over the millennia in the centuries before Muhammad's time. The car became filled with pagan idol when Mohammad returned from Medina to Mecca in victory. He cast out all the idols more than 300 from then on the area of low carb and the pilgrimage were forbidden to the infidel. Pilgrims to acknowledge the God on each of those seven trips around it glaring in the name of Allah the most.

Commemorating the hardships suffered by Abraham's wife Hagar Mohammed walk ran between the hills of old suffer and murdered. And so the pilgrims do likewise. All told it is a trip of about a mile and a half. About an air conditioned walkway that was built by the Saudi Arabian government when it expanded the Great Mosque in 1955. While the handicapped or special wheelchair corridor is reserved down the middle. It is along this pathway that Muslims believe Hagar and her son is my first grand. The search of war for nearly dying of thirst before they found a whale of some

Zamzam that regularly opened for them by the angel Gabriel. Muhammad was not only a religious leader but a leader of a nation. Today in Saudi Arabia religion and state are inseparable and the king is still the Guardian. Additionally every year during the pilgrimage the king the royal family and other dignitaries enter their cause they find a totally empty room devoid of any distraction. And that. Is its virtue. During this time the inside of the body is washed with water from the well of Zoom's and to be splashed with this water is considered a privilege. Outside the club the royal family like all pilgrims do as Mohammed did and kiss the black stone believed to date back to the original

Karva built by Abraham. Mohammed made it very clear that. The stone is not an idol. Mohammed taught there is no god but God. God is most different. From us. That is the heart of Islam. Five times a day throughout the Muslim world the faithful are called to prayer with a cry. There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His. Daily prayer and the pilgrimage are two of the five pillars of Islam

and to actually pray in the great Moscow of Mecca not just to face its direction. This must be a pilgrim's dream. Noon prayers in the Great Mosque at the time of the pilgrimage people elbow to elbow in an area large enough to hold ten football fields and still there is not enough room for all the pilgrims inside the courtyard. There are perhaps half a million as many people as you'd find in the entire city of Seattle. The rest pray outside. The completion of rights at Mecca does not signal the end of the pilgrimage. Far from it.

Three other stations await the pilgrims. Their next destination is the plane of Arafa. Ten miles away before returning to Mecca they will go to must deliver and Mina at each stop they will perform prescribed rites and rituals all important to the completion of the Hardage. Following in the footsteps of Mohammed. The Pilgrims must arrive at or to fight on the ninth day of the month of Zuel hija. Or all the other rights will be nullified. There is no time to lose. They get there any way they can. Riding in the luggage racks when there are no more seats inside. The officers ex-buddy traffic among the 20000 policemen National

Guardsmen medics and others are assigned by the government to the pilgrims. Although the pilgrims will only stay for the day. All of our guides have set up tents in advance to give some protection from the fierce desert sun. Television cameras transmit coverage to dozens of nations allowing the modern world to witness an ancient but alive right. Under Fire. The Moscow number. And it is huge. But like the Great Mosque of Mecca large enough to accommodate only a portion of the two million pilgrims. Here at Arafat's alma mater of mercy Muhammad gave his farewell

sermon only a few months before he died. And so it is here that the pilgrims come to stand before God asking for mercy and forgiveness. Or each Pilgrim was standing before God is the single most important time of his journey the spiritual culmination and cornerstone of the pilgrimage. As it is written in the Koran. We created you from a single pair of a male and a female and made you want two nations and tribes that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you will lose sight of God is the most righteous of you. And God is well acquainted with all things. The Prophet Muhammad left or a fog before nightfall and so

the pilgrims strike camp. The entire group two million strong tribal onward and together through the gathering darkness. They stopped but mostly for where each collects exactly 49 stones to be used later and one of the last rites of the pilgrims. Mina. A small town transformed into a giant tent city will be the pilgrims home for the next three days and nights.

Stay at Mina commemorates a story of symbolic importance not only to Muslims but to Jews and Christians as well. It is the story of God telling Abraham to sacrifice his son tempting him and then finally sending an angel to intercede at the last moment providing a ram instead for the sacrifice. Muslims believe this happened here at meana. Not at Jerusalem. And that the son was Ishmael not Isaac. As recounted in the book of Genesis. On vast and modern walkways in meana the pilgrims make use of the stones they picked up at most dollar for each day for three days. They cast a specified number of stones at one of three pillars built on the sites where it is believed Satan tried to tempt Abraham not to obey God's command.

Announcing evil. The Pilgrims repeat God is most great. The ceremony has become known as the storming of the sacred. The Idul the feast of Abraham is celebrated at the end of the first day at midnight. During the feast. The royal family holds a reception to greet the heads of pilgrimage delegations and other leaders of the Muslim world. Traditionally on this night every pilgrim at Mina as well as the head of every Muslim household throughout the world do as Abraham do and sacrifice an animal to God. They will eat half and give the rest to the poor. After the ceremony the Pilgrim will clip his hair and leave the sacred state of a hurrah.

At Mina as along almost every step of the way the Pilgrim's Progress has been followed by closed circuit cameras. The hard edge is nearing its end but in such a mass of humanity dozens of emergencies still occurred daily. And the cameras help authorities find them and respond. At one point during the day and we each pilgrim must return to Mecca for a total of. Seven circuits around the other. That's the official duty of the pilgrimage has been fulfilled. Each pilgrim can now be called Hodgy or ill. One who

has made the pilgrimage something accomplished by millions but still only a fraction of all most of. The pilgrims will return home too much rejoicing. For many the Hajj has been the only journey of their lives beyond their native villages. But whatever part of the world they are from each Pilgrim goes home secure in the knowledge that he will not die with this obligation to Allah of unfulfilled. Those who have experienced the heart speak of a spiritual fulfillment heightened by the unity of their faith and brother who are. Taking back with them water from the well of CSMs each Pilgrim also carries home and enduring through newly reinforced all rich ruler all ruled man or woman. All are equal in the eyes of God. That's our report tonight. We'll be back with another tomorrow.

Mark Johnson tonight. The funding for this program is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the friends of four 10 and 12