New Jersey Imam Stabbed During Prayer; Attacker Subdued by Congregants

I was shocked to witness an imam being stabbed during a prayer session at a mosque in Paterson, New Jersey, in the early hours of Sunday. Thankfully, the congregants were quick to subdue the alleged attacker, Serif Zorba, before he could cause any further harm. Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes stated in a press release that law enforcement officers were called to the Omar Mosque in south Paterson at approximately 5:37 a.m. on Sunday, following an attack. When they arrived, they discovered that congregants detained a 32-year-old suspect. Following the incident, Imam Sayed Elnakib, aged 65, was promptly taken to St. Joseph's University Medical Center for treatment.

On Sunday afternoon, Mayor André Sayegh visited the hospital to check on Elnakib and reported that the imam was in stable condition, despite having sustained some severe injuries. At the time of the attack, more than 200 people were present at the mosque.

The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office has not disclosed any information regarding the potential motive behind the assault.

My Thoughts

Although the motive behind the attacker's actions remains uncertain, there can be no valid justification for any violence, particularly within a place of worship. But if you come across such an incident, it is always good to have an app installed like POTP. Through this app, you can reach an agent instantly by video link with a button tap. You can even record video, audio, and more with authorized access to your smartphone.