JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA: Picture dated November 1979 of burning Mecca's Great Mosque, the home of Islam's holiest sites, attacked 20 November 1979 by Moslem gunmen belonging to the group commanded by Jihman bin Saif al-Otaiba, alias "Lieutenant Mahdi" (the Messiah). Several hundred armed men hostile to the Saudi government barricaded themselves inside Mecca's Mosque for two weeks, taking pilgrims hostage. The building was stormed with the help of French commandos (GIGN) sent by Paris at Riyadh's request. An official toll put the dead at 153 and 560 wounded. All arrested gunmen were later executed. (Photo credit should read AFP via Getty Images)
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