Bashir Ahmad touches his head to lacerations from his attacker. He was repeatedly stabbed and his nose bitten. File Photo
Less than eight months after an the attack on a Muslim prayer leader at the Majid Al Saaleel mosque in Flushing, a Forest Hills man has been charged with attempted murder in what authorities have classified a hate crime.
In the early morning of November 18, 2012, Bashir Ahmad, a, was opening the front door of the mosque for prayers, when he was stabbed in the back. He struggled to turn around and came face to face with his attacker, 55-year-old Bernard Laufer. Ahmad raised his arms to protect his head and face while he was repeatedly stabbed about the body—in the hands, head legs and back, leading to bleeding,lacerations, bruises and swelling.
Ahmad remembered the words spoken to him during the attack. Talking to reporters, he repeated them, “I’ll kill you mother f——g Muslim.” Now laufer will face a jury who will determine if this crime was committed with the specific intent to target a Muslim. If he is found guilty he faces a minimum of eight years and could get up to 25 years.
In a statement released after he was charged, District Attorney Richard Brown said, ““The defendant is accused of having repeatedly stabbed the victim in a hate-crime attack and to have used hateful speech. Remarkably, the injuries sustained…were not fatal. Crimes fueled by hate will never be tolerated here in Queens County, the most diverse county in the nation. When they do, regrettably, occur, they will be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
By Patricia Adams
