An imam was once stabbed on Sunday whilst he was once main early morning prayers at a mosque in Paterson, N.J., via a person who was once subdued via worshipers, the government and a group member mentioned.
The guy, whom prosecutors recognized as Serif Zorba, 32, was once arrested and charged with first-degree tried homicide, officers mentioned.
Mr. Zorba was once “subdued by congregants” by the point the police arrived at the Omar Mosque after 5:30 a.m., in line with a news free up from the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.
Mayor Andre Sayegh of Paterson recognized the imam as Sayed Elnakib. Prosecutors mentioned that the imam, 65, sustained “nonfatal stab wounds” and was once transported to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center.
The group member, Sikander Khan, mentioned that the assault came about simply after morning prayers started, when a person leaped ahead and stabbed Mr. Elnakib again and again.
Mr. Khan, a Paterson town worker who’s co-chairman of the Muslim caucus of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, mentioned that Mr. Elnakib underwent surgical procedure and was once in solid situation however that he had liver harm.
Mr. Khan mentioned the attacker, who were to the mosque to worship earlier than, was once unknown to different congregants and was once now not an “active member.”
“Nobody really knew him,” Mr. Khan mentioned. “We don’t know what the motive behind his action is.”
“He would come in and kind of sit isolated away from everyone else and didn’t really communicate with anyone,” Mr. Khan added. “We’re extremely baffled and confused about why he would do such a thing. Our prayers are with the imam and his family and wish him quick recovery.”
Mayor Sayegh, who visited Mr. Elnakib within the clinic on Sunday, mentioned that he was once hopeful he would make a complete restoration. In reaction to the assault, the mayor added, town would step up its police presence at mosques. “People don’t have to be afraid to pray,” he mentioned.
Neither he nor the prosecutors presented any information about a imaginable reason.
Alaa Abdelaziz, a Paterson councilman, mentioned on Facebook that he was once “deeply saddened” via the assault. “As a community, it is important that we come together to support one another and denounce all forms of hate and violence,” he mentioned.
Mr. Zorba, who additionally faces weapons-related fees, will seem earlier than a Superior Court pass judgement on in Paterson on Monday afternoon, prosecutors mentioned. If convicted at the tried homicide fee, he faces a most of twenty years in New Jersey state jail.
