Last Updated: April 10, 2023, 15:41 IST
The incident occurred at the Omer mosque in South Paterson when around 200 worshipers were offering the morning prayres. (Credits: Facebook/Al Abdelaziz)
The spokesperson of the mosque called the attack on the Imam an isolated incident and not a hate crime
A prominent imam in the US was stabbed in the back while leading the morning prayer at a mosque in New Jersey on Sunday.
The Imam, Sayed Elnakib, was stabbed while he was leading the first prayer of the day at Omar Mosque in south Paterson when the suspect leapt forward with a knife and attacked him at around 6 am, CNN reported.
The suspect, identified as Serif Zorba, was performing the prayer, before stabbing the imam multiple times. The imam was admitted to St. Joseph’s University Medical Centre and is reportedly in stable condition.
The suspect, who was unknown to the worshippers, tried to flee after the attack but he was brought down by the congregants and was arrested by the police later.
The report said that there were over 200 worshippers in the mosque at the time of the stabbing. The spokesperson of the mosque said he believes that it was an isolated incident and not a hate crime.
The imam of Omar Mosque in New Jersey has been stabbed during the prayer on Sunday, 9th of April. The suspect is a man named Serif Zorba. Zorba was caught by the congregation as he tried to escape. The motive of the attacker is still unknown. https://t.co/mJA8Bp4aam pic.twitter.com/QY9ONfb9iC— Sangar Paykhar – سنګر پیکار (@paykhar) April 10, 2023
“While it is unclear what motivated the attacker, there is no justification for violence of any kind, especially in a sacred space,” Councilman Al Abdelaziz, who represents the neighbourhood, said in a statement.
Mayor Andre Sayegh said he visited Imam Sayed Elnakib in the hospital soon after the incident and appreciated the immediate apprehension of the assailant.
“We appreciate the efforts of those here who were able to apprehend the assailant and we also want to reassure the family, the congregation at the mosque, that there will be extra police attention,” the mayor said.
The stabbing comes in the middle of Ramadan, the holiest month of the Islamic calendar.
“This is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar year and we want to make sure that the safety of those that are just coming to pray is a priority for us and that we take this situation very seriously,” the mayor added.
Paterson, a city with a population of over 150,000, is home to one of the largest Muslim communities in the state of New Jersey.
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