New York: man stabbed outside mosque, attacker screamed anti-Muslim rant, say cops

A Queens man was stabbed repeatedly outside a mosque by a would-be killer who shouted anti-Muslim comments, police said.

The victim, identified by friends as Bashar Mohammod, 57, was attacked from behind while opening the Masjid Al-Saaliheen mosque for prayer around 4:45 a.m., police said.

The attacker, described as a Hispanic man in his 40s, stabbed Mohammod repeatedly while shouting anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim slurs.

The victim might have lost a finger in the attack, said a friend, Mohammad Omar, who visited Mohammod at Queens General Hospital where he was treated and released. "The person told him that he doesn't like Muslims," said  Omar. "That person was trying to kill him."

Fellow worshippers described the victim, originally from Afghanistan, as a devout Muslim who often led morning prayer at the Kissena Blvd. mosque. "He prays five times a day. He's a very good guy." said fellow worshipper Dawood Mashriqi. "He's an early bird."

Investigators had the mosque cordoned off late Sunday afternoon even as worshippers made their way to prayer.

No arrests have been made.

New York Daily News, 18 November 2012

See also New York Magazine, 18 November 2012

And "CAIR asks FBI to probe apparent bias attack on NY Muslim", CAIR press release, 18 November 2012

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