Qatar imposes tight security for OIC summit

Eager for an incident-free event, Qatari authorities have imposed tight security ahead of the Organisation of Islamic Confe-rence summit when leaders of Islamic countries and other state representatives begin meetings on Sunday. In all, some 4,000 people including delegates and journalists are expected to converge for this capital's biggest event to date.
Police has specially intensified security along the Corniche, Doha's main thoroughfare, to protect the heads of states' motorcades passing through. The main venue of the meeting, the pyramid-shaped Doha Sheraton, is at one end of the Corniche road, parts of which will be closed to traffic during the summit days from November 12 to 14, security sources told Gulf News.
Police also asked people living in buildings located along the road to keep shut their windows and balconies for the duration of the gathering, according to police circulars posted at these buildings. Also, offices along the route were asked to reschedule their working hours as another security measure, according to a copy of the circular.
Sharpshooters have also been posted atop these buildings.
The circular signed by Col. Abdullah Khalaf Mansoor Al Kaabi, Director of Rayyan and Southern Area police, ordered people not to park their cars on lots close to the motorcade routes.
They also "should not be present in all parking lots or empty spaces overlooking the same routes." The residents were urged "to fully cooperate with police and security personnel," and that "police will not be responsible for any damage which may occur as a result of non-compliance," the circular said.
A separate notice issued by Brig. Gen. Mubarak Hassan Al Nasr, Chairman of the Security Committee for the summit, asked the offices in the area to reschedule the working hours from 7.30 - 8.30am to 1-2pm starting tomorrow until Tuesday when the summit ends.
Major hotels in Doha, including Doha Sheraton, Doha Marriot, Ramada, Sofitel, Intercontinental and Oasis, will be closed to the public until the summit's end to accommodate delegates and journalists attending the gathering, security sources said.
X-ray machines and metal detectors have been installed at the hotels's entrances and only visitors with special identity cards would be granted entry, they said.
Qatar's aviation authorities, meanwhile, said no commercial flights would be allowed to land or take off at Doha International Airport tomorrow to facilitate the arrival of heads of states from the OIC member states.
Airlines have already rescheduled their flights for the day. Qatar Airways has cancelled 15 of its flights and Gulf Air all its flights tomorrow, airline officials said.