What did Serif Zorba do? Suspect arrested after New Jersey Imam Sayed Elnakib was stabbed while leading prayers 

On Sunday, April 9, 2023, at around 6 am local time, Sayed Elnakib, a prominent imam, was stabbed in the back as he led prayers at the Omar Mosque in New Jersey.

The suspect has been identified as Serif Zorba, 32. The imam was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital. Around 200 people were present at the service where the stabbing took place.

According to surveillance footage, Zorba was seen turning and bolting for the door after stabbing Sayed Elnakib. The worshippers, however, held him till the police arrived and took him into custody. 65-year-old Elnakib sustained some serious injuries, however, he was declared stable in the hospital.

Serif Zorba is currently being held in the Bergen County Jail and faces charges of attempted murder and weapons offenses. He had reportedly come to the mosque before.

A prominent imam named Sayed Elnakib was stabbed in the back by Serif Zorba at the Omar Mosque

The tragic incident took place on April 9, 2023, in the morning when the imam was leading Fajr prayers at the Omar Mosque in Paterson. A man rushed towards the imam and stabbed him in the back. The same has also been seen in the surveillance footage that captured the entire incident.

65-year-old Sayed Elnakib sustained injuries including liver damage. A mosque spokesperson confirmed this as well. The imam was, however, declared to be in stable condition.

Zorba could be seen as a 6-foot-3-inch man wearing a white hoodie, present amongst the worshippers who were there in the mosque for the Ramadan prayer service. Surveillance footage captured him attacking Elnakib in the back, while everybody dropped to their knees and bowed.

The worshippers did not worry for their own safety and instead restrained the assailant who had just attacked their beloved Imam Sayed Elnakib. New Jersey State Police troopers arrested Zorba.

---

Authorities are trying to discover the motive behind the attack on the imam

Mayor Andre Sayegh addressed the incident and said:

“Paterson has the largest Muslim population in the state of New Jersey. I just want to let people know we shouldn’t have to be afraid to pray.”

According to Councilman Al Abdelaziz:

“[The community must] come together to support one another and denounce all forms of hate and violence.”

A community member named Sikander Khan stated that the attack on Sayed Elnakib took place shortly after the morning prayers started. Khan also mentioned that the imam had to undergo surgery after the attack and continued, by saying:

“Nobody really knew him. We don’t know what the motive behind his action is. He would come in and kind of sit isolated away from everyone else and didn’t really communicate with anyone.”

Authorities are yet to discover the motive behind the attack on the imam. Another imam stated that the incident was an isolated one. Authorities revealed that Zorba wasn’t a member of the mosque, but had prayed before in the Omar Mosque.