In a suspected hate crime, a doctor has been stabbed in the back of the neck on his way to a mosque in Greater Manchester.
Dr Nasser Kurdy, a consultant surgeon, was attacked outside the Altrincham and Hale Muslim Association at about 17:50 BST on Sunday evening and was taken to hospital.
The 58-year-old has since been discharged from hospital, according to his colleague Dr Khalid Anis, a spokesman for the Altrincham & Hale Muslim Association, who said he was “very lucky”.
A 54-year-old man and a 32-year-old who were arrested are being questioned.
Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson said, “This is a very nasty and unprovoked attack against a much-loved local man.”
Community sources said Dr Kurdy heard Islamophobic comments at the time of the attack.
Police said Dr Kurdy was on his way to the mosque, where he is the vice-chairman and has led prayers, when he saw another man across the road.
“A short time later he felt an injury to the back of his neck. He ran into the centre and then called emergency services.”
Dr Anis said in a statement, “It could have been very, very serious.
“He [Dr Kurdy] said he noticed someone cross the road and then somebody just attacked him from behind.
“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.
“We understand it was a knife, he is very lucky.
“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.”
“It’s a very unified town so for this to happen like this in the street, it is frightening.”
“We are shocked to hear of the stabbing of a prominent Muslim surgeon outside Altrincham Mosque today in what the Greater Manchester Police have described as a hate crime,” said Harun Khan, secretary general of the MCB.
“We are relieved to hear that the victim’s injuries are not currently critical.
“Our prayers are with the victim, his family and the local community.”
Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, tweeted, “I strongly condemn the stabbing of the Imam of the Altrincham mosque earlier today.
“The Imam is recovering and an arrest has been made.”
ACC Jackson said, “People will want to know why the attacker did this and we are treating this as a crime motivated by hate.
“It is difficult to say more than this at this time but there is nothing to suggest that this is terrorist related.”
