Stampede brings carnage to Brushwood

From: "EllisDee" <fxtrt22@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, Feb 1, 2004

At least 244 people have been trampled to death at the pilgrimage in
Western New York, the minister in charge of the event, Ivan Stang, has said.
He said a similar number of pilgrims were injured during the stampede,
which lasted 27 minutes.

The disaster happened as pilgrims flocked to the "Bob"tism Pool to
hurl stones at pillars representing "Bob"

Up to two million Subgenii went to this year's event in and around
Sherman, NY.

Despite the large number of deaths, the last important rite of the
pilgrimage was continuing Sunday.

Rev. Stang said most of the victims were from Cleveland and many had
not been authorised to participate.

In an effort to control the numbers at the devival, Brushwood sets
quotas for pilgrims from each country and requires its citizens to register.

The stoning ritual is usually the most dangerous part of the devival-
last year 14 pilgrims were crushed to death during it, and 35 died in a 2001
stampede.

The devival is now at its climax, with the traditional stoning of
pillars representing "Bob", followed by the religious feast of Cthullu, when
animals are sacrificed.

As rescuers went to the scene, security officials attempted to control
the crowds to prevent further crushing.

Physically exhausted after three days of rites, pilgrims surged
forward to cast their stones.

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims crossed over and under the 15-metre
(50-foot) bridge spanning a small valley between two cliffs at Brushwood

Rev. Stang, quoted by Reuters news agency, said "some pilgrims were
not organised and there was a crush this morning by people carrying personal
belongings, which caused obstacles (to movement)".

Such was the size of the crowd that most pilgrims were unaware of what
had happened, the BBC's Paul Simpson reports from Sherman.

"I assure you that all the preparations are always made, but we don't
always know "Bob"'s intentions. What happened will be evaluated," Rev. Stang
said.

He said another 272 pilgrims had died of natural causes during the
devival

All able-bodied Muslims are required to perform the Hajj at least once
in their lifetime, if they can afford it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: hellpopehuey@subgenius.com (HellPopeHuey)

Not to mention the abject bio-horror of the 4-holer. Its like someone
fed a buncha cows bran and beer. I wanna die for "Bob," sure, but
damn, not THAT way.

HellPope Huey / www.subgenius.com
Remember, in the world of Dobbs,
every journey begins with a single CHAIN-YANK.

"Welcome to Hawaii! How'd you get here in a car?"
- "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"

I'm worried that the universe will soon need replacing.
It's not holding a charge.
- Edward Chilton

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Original file name: Stampede brings carn#1AD01F.txt - converted on Saturday, 25 September 2004, 02:05