Man who stabbed Imam in U.S. says he was driven by religious differences: Reports
World
Man who stabbed Imam in U.S. says he was driven by religious differences: Reports
NEW YORK (Web Desk) – The man who stabbed a prominent Imam during fajr prayers at a mosque in Paterson, a city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, told police Monday he wanted to kill him over religious differences, according to court documents cited by news media.
But Serif Zorba, 32, did not elaborate on the exact nature of those differences.
Zorba, a native of Istanbul, was subdued by congregants at Paterson’s Omar Mosque after he attacked 65-year-old Imam Sayed Elnakib, who is recovering from wounds in a nearby hospital.
During a brief virtual court appearance from the Bergen County Jail, Zorba spoke through a Turkish-language interpreter and at times appeared confused, according to the reports.
“I didn’t do anything,” he said as a judge explained his rights.
Zorba said he came from Istanbul but was unable to provide his Paterson address, instead naming a grocery store nearby.
He first rejected, then accepted, representation from a public defender.
As the judge read the accusations against him — which include attempted murder and weapons possession — Zorba said only, `“I accept that charge.”
The stabbing occurred a day after the discovery of an act of vandalism at the Dr. Hani Awadallah School in Paterson in the Holy month of Ramazan. A vandal defaced the “allah” part of the Awadallah’s name.
Awadallah was a leader in Paterson’s Arab-American community who taught lessons in heritage and culture at a Paterson school. He passed away in 2012.
Imam Elnakib was stabbed while leading the prayers, and was taken was to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center for treatment.
Immediately after his arrest, Zorba told police “he planned the attack the night prior at his home on his own due to his disagreeing with the mosque and its leader collecting money in the name of Islam,” the officer wrote.
“Mr. Zorba stated he wanted to kill the head of the organization for this reason. He stated he had no intention in harming anyone else or any other plans than the one he acted out.”
Zorba told the officer, he intended to kill Elnakib, according to the document.
“He stated he had no further weapons at his home or any other plans of violence but did not like when others offended the Islamic religion,” the document said.
“While it is unclear what motivated the attacker, there is no justification for violence of any kind, especially in a sacred space,” Al Abdel-aziz, a city councilman, said.
