The imam of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Mosque in Paterson, New Jersey, USA, was stabbed while he was leading worshipers, according to US reports.
The network (CNN) reported that the attack took place during dawn prayers at the mosque in the south of the city, where about 200 people were performing prayers at the time.
Officials told the media that the attacker was not among the community, but had been seen at the mosque before.
The 65-year-old imam of a mosque, Sayyid Naqeeb, was taken to the hospital to be treated for his wounds, while the accused was arrested for stabbing and named "Sharif Zorba" He is 32 years old, and whose motives are not known yet.
Zorba has been charged with attempted first-degree murder and is scheduled to make his first appearance in court quickly, according to the Passaic County District Attorney’s Office.
The brother of the imam of the mosque, Abdul Naqib, explained that his brother had been stabbed twice, while the mosque spokesman confirmed that the incident was "single incident", attributing credit for the imam’s survival to the quick action of the worshipers who arrested the accused during his attempt to flee. For his part, the mayor of Paterson, New Jersey, Andre Sayegh, who visited the injured imam in hospital, confirmed: "We appreciate the efforts of those who managed to apprehend the assailant here, and we also want to reassure the family, and worshipers at the mosque, that there will be additional police attention.".
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