Attacker stabs imam in neck outside mosque
AN IMAM was stabbed in the neck outside a mosque last night.
The victim, named locally as orthopaedic surgeon Nasser Kurdy, was on his way to evening prayers when he was attacked as he walked towards the Islamic Cultural Centre in Altrincham, near Manchester.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: ‘ While we are yet to gather all the evidence, we can be sure that there is no place for hate crime on our streets and we will do all that we can to take action against those who jeopardise the safety of others.’
Members of the community were in shock following the incident, which comes 18 months after another imam was stabbed to death in nearby Rochdale.
Detectives were last night questioning two men, aged 54 and 32, in connection with the attack on Mr Kurdy, who was stabbed outside the centre just before 6pm. Specialising in orthopaedic surgery and podiatry, having qualified as a doctor in 1983, Mr Kurdy’s profile for private healthcare provider BMI said worked at Alexandra Hospital in Cheshire.
A friend of Mr Kurdy told the Manchester Evening News that he needed stitches but was fortunate not to have sustained more serious injury. ‘He is a lovely guy, very gentle, loved by the community – Muslim and non-Muslim alike,’ he said.
‘He needs stitches and will be kept in hospital overnight, he is incredibly lucky. This incident has really shaken us.’
Andrew Western, a Trafford councillor, tweeted his support for Mr Kurdy and said he was ‘shocked and saddened’ by the attack.
The mosque issued a statement, saying it felt the incident was isolated and did not reflect local attitudes.
A spokesman said: ‘Nothing like this has ever happened before and it does not reflect the community. In my experience community relations are very good and it is a very safe area; it is shocking for all of us. I would like to invite anybody to come to talk to us and if they harbour any ill will then to come and find out more about us.’
He added: ‘ My message to the congregation is to not be deterred from coming here.
‘One thing that our scripture tells us is to repel evil with kindness.’