Prayer leader back at London mosque less than 24 hours after stabbing

A Muslim prayer leader stabbed inside a London mosque has returned to the venue less than 24 hours after the attack.

Raafat Maglad, who is in his 70s, was attacked during afternoon prayers at London Central Mosque in Regent’s Park.

He was taken to hospital but subsequently discharged.

On Friday afternoon he was back at the mosque, wearing a sling to support his right arm and surrounded by security.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan also arrived at the mosque in a show of support for the injured Mr Maglad.

Speaking about the attack to reporters at the mosque, Mr Maglad said: “He hit me. I just felt blood flowing from my neck and that’s it, they rushed me to the hospital. Everything happened all of a sudden.”

When asked if he knew the attacker, he said: “This (mosque) is multinational, you don’t know who is walking in and out.

“I forgive him. I feel very sorry for him. What is done is done, he is not going to return.”

He added: “I feel okay. This is my fate.”

Police are not treating the stabbing as terror-related.

Witnesses said the muezzin, the title given to the person leading the call to prayer at a mosque, was attacked around 3pm at the centre.

A 29-year-old man was tackled by worshippers at the mosque before being arrested inside on suspicion of attempted murder. The suspect was thought to be attending the prayers, and his motive remains unclear.

No other suspects are being sought by police.

Video showed a white man wearing a red hoodie, black trousers and no shoes being handcuffed by police.

One video appeared to show a knife on the floor under a plastic chair.

Witnesses said the suspect spoke with “a London accent” and had been a regular at the mosque but was last seen at least six months ago.

Mosque adviser Ayaz Ahmad said: “Everybody’s reaction was shock and horror, the men were screaming.

“It was a vicious attack. We live in a society where we hear a lot about knife crime and what have you, but actually to physically be in a situation where you’re first-hand watching an attempted murder take place, it’s very shocking.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was “deeply saddened” at the attack, adding: “It’s so awful that this should happen, especially in a place of worship.”

Mr Khan said shortly after the attack that “every Londoner is entitled to feel safe in their place of worship & I want to reassure London’s communities that acts of violence in our city will not be tolerated”.

He said extra police officers would be deployed in the area.

London Central Mosque is one of the country’s largest and can hold 5,000 worshippers, with people from across the capital travelling to it for prayers every day.

About 200-300 worshippers are understood to have been there when the attack happened.

(c) Sky News 2020: Prayer leader back at London mosque less than 24 hours after stabbing