WASHINGTON: An imam was stabbed while he was leading Fajr prayers at a mosque in Paterson, New Jersey by a man who was caught by the worshippers, a spokesperson for the mosque said.
According to the local officials, the imam is now in stable condition and is being treated for a punctured lung.
“Imam Sayed Elnakib was stabbed during the first prayer of the day, around 5:30am, at Omar Mosque in south Paterson while the congregation was kneeling for prayer,” .
As per the details, the suspected assailant — who was also performing prayer with over 200 other worshippers at the mosque on Sunday morning stabbed the imam multiple times.
“The suspect lunged forward with a knife and stabbed Imam Sayed multiple times at least twice,” Hamdan said.
However, the worshippers managed to catch the suspect while he tried to escape and held him “until the police arrived” and apprehended him, he added. New Jersey Mayor Andre Sayegh said he visited Imam Elnakib, who was “in better spirits than before”.
Sayegh said Elnakib was being treated for a punctured lung. The mayor said a suspect was detained, but the motive is not clear.
