Imam stabbed during morning prayer at mosque

A man was arrested in New Jersey after stabbing an imam leading morning prayers.

Serif Zorba, 32, was arrested and charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon for allegedly stabbing Imam Sayed Elnakib, 65, at Omar Mosque in Paterson on Sunday morning.

The incident happened before dawn on Sunday around 5.30am.

Part of the terrifying attack was captured on the mosque’s security camera. As other worshippers kneeled during prayers, Zorba is walked forward wielding a knife.

Suspect Serif Zorba’s mugshot after he was arrested in Paterson (Picture: Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office)

After the stabbing, members of the mosque were able to grab and subdue Zorba while waiting for police to arrive.

‘The suspect has been apprehended because of the heroic actions of Omar Mosque’s congregants,’ the mosque’s spokesperson Abdul Hamdan said. ‘They apprehended the individual swiftly and immediately.’

Authorities said Zorba had worshipped at the Paterson, New Jersey mosque before, but is not a member of the congregation.

Paterson City Councilmember Al Abdel-aziz reported that Elnakib was in stable condition at St Joseph’s University Medical Center and is expected to fully recover.

‘My heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragic event,’ Abdel-aziz said. ‘While it is unclear what motivated the attacker, there is no justification for violence of any kind, especially in a sacred space.’

Investigators are still working to determine a motive for the stabbing.

Zorba was arraigned in court on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty with the help of a Turkish translator. If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Paterson, the third-largest city in New Jersey, is also home to one of the largest populations of American Muslims.

Police in Paterson announced that they would be adding enhanced security at each of the city’s 12 mosques through the rest of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.

from News – Metro https://ift.tt/JRSTQmA