1. Wide of Mecca holy site with thousands of pilgrims performing religious rituals

2. Kaaba, holly place in Mecca with thousands of pilgrims

3. Mid of buildings around the holy place in Mecca,

4. Various of pilgrims and Saudi security in the streets in Mecca directing pilgrims

5. Saudi police car driving its way in crowded streets with thousand of pilgrims

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sabeur Ben Ameur, British pilgrim,

"Terrorism and Islam is an oxymoron. It does not go together, we haven't got terrorism in Islam. Terrorism is from out Islam. Muslims do not believe in terrorists. And we cannot say 'terrorist Muslim.' This is war against Islam. When people use these words it is to fight Islam. Islam is peace. Islam can unite all number of muslims and non-muslims and Islam tells us even when we go to war we have to respect all people, even trees, women, children, we haven't got such a thing. The message we give to a muslim or a non-muslim that to be united, to be all one uma (nation) and to be all human being, we could live together in a nation."

7. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Moroccan pilgrim:

"We are in front of the holy place united the whole Muslim nation should take this model and unite, we demand from all the Islamic countries to unite against the Zionist aggression and American imperialism that is getting stronger every day on the expense of the Muslim nations."

8. Various of male pilgrims praying

9. Various of women praying

10. Street scene

11. SOUNDBITE: (French) Eulalle Benichou, Canadian pilgrim

"It is amazing to see Muslims united, no other activity in the world could bring so many people together for the same purpose, not even a rock band group."

12. Benichou walking with her husband in Mecca

Millions of Muslims from around the world gathered in Mecca on Sunday for the start of the annual Islamic hajj pilgrimage as the Saudi Interior Ministry announced tough security precautions.

Men and women draped in white robes circled the Kaaba, Islam's most holy site, seven times in the Umra ceremony anticipating the official start of the pilgrimage on Monday.

Over the next two days the estimated 2.5 million (m) pilgrims will move out of Mecca to Mount Arafat and for Tuesday's climax of symbolically stoning the devil.

This year's hajj takes place amid increasing worries across the Islamic world, over the bloodshed in Iraq and Afghanistan and recent attacks by al-Qaida-linked groups including last week's twin suicide bombings in Algeria that killed at least 37 people.

Tensions also have increased between the two main sects of Islam, Sunnis and Shiites, who come together in the five days of hajj rituals centered around Mecca, birthplace of Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz said the kingdom is capable of maintaining security and preventing any attempt to threaten the safety of the pilgrims.

Major General Saleh Mohammed al-Shihri, commander of the Central Control of the Hajj Security, said 1,150 cameras have been placed in several areas to monitor the area.

Several helicopters, fitted with these cameras, will also hover over the pilgrims.

More than 1.6 million (m) pilgrims have arrived in Mecca, according to the latest numbers released Friday by the Central Hajj Committee.

The Health Ministry said about 254 pilgrims, many who were elderly, have died of natural causes since arriving.

The pilgrims are massed in tent cities on the outskirts of Mecca.

For many, the hajj is a once in lifetime chance to cleanse their sins in one of the most important rites for Muslims.

"It is amazing to see Muslims united, no other activity in the world could bring so many people together for the same purpose, not even a rock band group", Canadian pilgrim Eulalle Benichou told AP Television.

King Abdullah has invited -thousand guests to this year's hajj, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Saudi Arabia, a majority Sunni Muslim country, and other Gulf Arab countries, who are all US allies have been worried over the increasing regional influence, rival of Shiite-dominated Iran, but the invitation appeared to reflect a readiness from Saudi Arabia to reach out to its neighbour.

Ahmadinejad is scheduled to arrive in Mecca on Monday, Iranian state media has reported.