Imam stabbed during prayer in US mosque
An Imam, Sayed Elnakib, in New Jersey in the United States of America has been stabbed by a suspected Turkish man during Fajr prayers on Sunday.
The suspect identified as Sherif Zorba was caught and detained for stabbing the Imam at the Omar Mosque in Paterson, according to CNN.
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In a surveillance video, the 32-year-old man moved from the centre of the third row as worshipers were kneeling in prayer, approached the Imam from behind and stabbed him.
After the Imam was stabbed, worshippers rushed toward the perpetrator who attempted to escape through a backdoor and captured him.
The report said Elnakib is in stable condition. And the motive behind the attack remains unclear and the investigation has begun.
Zorba was charged with first-degree attempted murder, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, according to a news release from the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.
In addition to pleading not guilty to attempted murder, Zorba also pleaded not guilty to the charge of unlawful weapon possession.
Zorba is being held on pretrial detention and his next court appearance is slated for Thursday.
The prosecutor’s office said they could not provide any further details on Zorba’s possible motive, citing the ongoing investigation.
Zorba will appear in court again on Thursday. If convicted of the alleged crimes attributed to him, he faces a maximum sentence of around 26 years, according to the release.
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