Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Mosquevictim: I feel sorry for the knifeman
Stabbed elder leaves hospital to pray
THE mosque elder stabbed in the neck during afternoon prayers has said he feels sorry for his attacker and forgives him.
Raafat Maglad, 70, discharged himself from hospital yesterday “to show defiance” and pray at the London Central Mosque where he was struck down.
Mr Maglad, the muezzin who leads the call to prayer, said it felt like he had been hit with a brick when he was attacked from behind.
A man of 29 is in custody after he was overpowered by worshippers at the mosque in Regent’s Park, North London. The stabbing is not being treated as terror related.
With his right arm in a sling and a bandage over his neck wound, Sudanborn Mr Maglad said: “I came out of hospital to pray and now I’m going back to continue treatment.”
Recalling Thursday’s attack, he said: “We were praying and I just felt somebody hit me from behind.
“I was bleeding and I rushed myself out and rushed myself to the hospital.
“He didn’t say anything to me. I didn’t know him – there was no friendship.
“He is always in the masjid (mosque). He comes here as a worshipper. I feel pain, it is a really deep cut. It felt like I had been hit with a brick. I forgive him and feel sorry for him.
“What happened was my fate. He is a human being. I have no hate for him but the law has to be implemented.”
Mosque adviser Faisal Umair said Mr Maglad, who has led calls to prayer for 25 years, was advised by doctors to stay in hospital but discharged himself.
“He wanted to come here and show defiance,” he added.
The stabbing, following a string of attacks on places of worship around the world, has raised safety fears.
Shaukat Warraich, of non-theological group Faith Associates, said Muslims now “look over their shoulders” as they come to prayer.
He added: “Regent’s Park is the most iconic mosque in London but it is probably also the most secure.
“But, generally, mosques are soft targets.
“Most don’t have any security apart from some CCTV.”