Video shows attempted abduction of imam outside NYC mosque, worshippers say
On Sunday night, during the holy month of Ramadan, a sacred time on the Muslim calendar, there was an attack and attempted abduction of a faith leader in the Bronx, and it was captured on nearby dashcam video.
Police say it happened outside of a mosque on Odell Street in Parkchester.
CBS News New York has learned police are looking into two other attacks just blocks away, involving Muslim men who were wearing traditional clothing.
Worshipper stopped the attempted abduction
Worshippers said it all went down just moments after imam Omar Faruqe led them in prayer. He was leaving the mosque when three guys jumped out of a minivan, started questioning him, and forced him to identify himself before trying to force him into the vehicle.
"He tried to grab him and run in the car," worshipper Iqbal Hussain said.
Hussain kept the faith and sprung into action, blocking the men from taking the imam Faruqe.
"I saw they tried to grab him. I save him," Hussain said. "Thank God. Thank God. Thank God."
The men eventually took off.
"I got a lot of bleeding," said Hussain, who was taken to the hospital for injuries to his nose but was back at the mosque Monday night.
Now, in addition to fasting and prayer, there is fear among this Muslim community during Ramadan.
"These guys, very bad, and they come in front of the masjid, a public place and they want to kidnap the imam. Everyone is scared," said imam Abul K. Yahya, who leads the mosque in evening prayer.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
