TWENTY hero worshippers tackled a knifeman who stabbed a Muslim leader in the neck during a call to prayer at a London mosque.
A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after police were called to London Central Mosque shortly after 3pm today.
Dramatic pictures show the suspect sitting cross-legged on the floor as he was handcuffed by police.
The victim, in his 70s, was rushed to hospital but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Worshippers say the silent attacker broke off from prayers to stab the prayer leader from behind.
Abi Watik, 59, a regular worshipper, told The Sun Online he saw the attacker stab the Muazzin – a senior figure at the mosque – once with a five-inch blade about ten seconds into prayers.
What we know so far:
Up to 20 worshippers took down the knifeman before police arrived at the scene.
Mr Watik said: “One guy got a knife for no reason. I have seen him many times.
“We heard the Iman, he was screaming. We did not know what was going on.
“(The victim) fell on the floor with a scream. He had lots of blood here [points near shoulder].
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“He stabbed him one time. It was like a small kitchen knife, about five inches.
“People jumped on him. One person kicked him in the back then he put him on the floor.”
In a video message posted on Twitter, the eye-witness said: “The Imam, before he led the Salat (Muslim prayer), all of a sudden this racist, terrorist person came and stabbed him on his neck.
“He was actually going for the Imam, to stab the Imam, but the Muezzin was trying to protect. And then he got stabbed in the neck.”
Around 300 people are believed to have been in the mosque when the incident took place.
Central London Mosque is one of the biggest in the country and can hold up to 5,000 people.
A statement by the mosque said: “There was an Incident today at London Central Mosque where an unknown individual attacked and stabbed the Muazzin (the person who makes the call to prayer) during Asr Prayer around 3pm.
“The attacker was apprehended by the worshippers until the Police arrived and arrested him.
“The Muazzin did not sustain any life threatening injuries but was seriously injured and is being treated at the hospital.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was “deeply saddened” by news of the attack.
He said: “I’m deeply saddened to hear of the attack at the London Central Mosque.
“It’s so awful that this should happen, especially in a place of worship.
“My thoughts are with the victim and all those affected.”
The incident comes nearly two years after Darren Osborne launched an attack outside a mosque in Finsbury Park, North London.
He was jailed for life after ploughing a rental van into worshippers on June 19, 2017, and left a 51-year-old man dead with nine others injured.
Yesterday, a far-right conspiracy theorist gunned down nine people at two different shisha bars in Germany.
Tobias Rathjen, 43, who boasted about “ethnic cleansing” opened fire in Hanau before killing his mum and himself last night.
Scotland Yard said the incident is not being treated as terror-related.
A Met Police spokesman said: “Police were called to a mosque in Park Road at 3.10pm to reports of a stabbing.
“Officers attended along with paramedics from the London Ambulance Service. A man, in his 70s, was found with stab injuries.
“He was treated by paramedics before being taken to hospital. His condition has been assessed as non life-threatening.
“A man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder.
“A crime scene has been put in place. Enquiries continue.”
