Bloodbath in Istanbul mosque - imam stabbed, attacker lynched

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Sunday September 3, 2006

Istanbul- An imam was killed in a savage knife attack in an Istanbul mosque Sunday morning that ended with other faithful pouncing and lynching his attacker. The imam died of his injuries in hospital after receiving a knife in the heart, Turkish media reported.

Directly after the attack, a group of worshippers who had gathered for morning prayers at the mosque in the city's Fatih district fell on the imam's attacker and killed him.

The motive for the attack on the imam was unclear.

The mosque and the hospital, where the 54-year-old preacher died, were sealed off by police.

His 27-year-old attacker, who was unknown in the community, was reported to have shouted "Allah" before rushing the cleric. He then slammed his head into the prayer niche, or mihrab, according to a police report,

The man was dead by the time police arrived on the scene.

Papers found on his body revealed he came from the south-eastern Turkish town of Kahta.

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur