Surgeon stabbed outside mosque in ‘hate crime’

A surgeon has been stabbed on his way to a mosque in an attack that police are treating as a hate crime.

The 58-year-old, believed to be Dr Nasser Kurdy, was attacked outside the Altrincham Islamic Centre in Greater Manchester just before 6pm on Sunday.

He was taken to hospital with a stab wound to his neck but was later discharged, according to Dr Khalid Anis, a spokesman for the Altrincham & Hale Muslim Association.

Dr Anis, who had been with his friend in the moments after the attack, said it could have been "very, very serious".

"He said he noticed someone cross the road and then somebody just attacked him from behind.

"There were definitely abusive comments made – obviously he was in shock at the time, he had just been stabbed so the detail of those comments I don’t know but there were definitely abusive comments made by the attackers at the door of the mosque."

Dr Anis said the attack had "shocked the whole community".

He added: "It’s not just a criminal act against the Muslim community or one individual, it’s the people living in Altrincham, I think we all feel that.

"The fact they attacked an orthopaedic consultant who devoted his life to helping others is really quite poignant."

Manchester Central Mosque said in a statement that Dr Kurdy is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Wythenshawe Hospital and occasionally does the sermon at Friday prayers.

The mosque advised worshippers to try to avoid travelling alone and to report suspected hate crimes.

Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson of Greater Manchester Police said: "’This is a very nasty and unprovoked attack against a much-loved local man."

Two men, aged 32 and 54, were arrested within an hour of the stabbing.

Police are not looking for any other suspects but have appealed for any witnesses to come forward.

The attack is being treated as a hate crime but is not terrorism related, police said.

In a statement the Muslim Council of Britain said it was "shocked" to hear of the stabbing and offered its prayers for the victim, his family and the community.

It added: "After the terror attack outside Finsbury Park Mosque, we welcomed the solidarity demonstrated by our Prime Minister and Home Secretary.

"We hope that in consultation with Muslim communities, these strong words can no be converted into action, including the full implementation of the government’s own Hate Crime Action Plan."

(c) Sky News 2017: Surgeon stabbed outside mosque in ‘hate crime’