Muslim Man Stabbed Outside Mosque in Queens, CAIR Demands FBI Probe

America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has called for an FBI investigation into an apparently bias-motivated assault on a Queens man of Afghan heritage. Ahmad Bashir, 57, was stabbed repeatedly outside a mosque by an attacker shouting anti-Muslim comments. A friend of the victim reported that the alleged attacker said "he doesn't like Muslims."

"The FBI should add its resources to the investigation of this apparent hate crime, and state and national leaders should address the rising level of anti-Muslim bigotry that inevitably results in such disturbing incidents," said CAIR-NY Executive Director Muneer Awad.

Bashir was walking into the Masjid al-Saaliheen mosque in Flushing, Queens when the attacker came from behind and plunged the knife into his body in the mosque stairwell shouting anti-Muslim statements, the Daily Mail reported. "He had him from the backside, his head - also he bit his nose. Twelve stitches - this is very horrible," the reported quoted a fellow worshiper.

Bashir was then taken to New York Hospital Queens, where he was treated for wounds to his head, face, back and leg and later released. The police are looking for the attacker who is described as a Hispanic male in his 40s.