NEW YORK: The leader of a New York City mosque and an associate were fatally shot in a brazen daylight attack as they left afternoon prayers Saturday. Police said 55-year-old Imam Maulama Akonjee and his 64-year-old associate, Thara Uddin, were shot in the back of the head as they left the Al-Furqan Jame Masjid mosque in the Ozone Park section of Queens shortly before 2 p.m. But members of the Bangladeshi community served by the mosque said they want the shootings to be treated as a hate crime. He said he had advised fellow community members to be careful walking around, especially when in traditional clothing. “Somebody has taken the law in their own hands,” said Uddin, who is not related to Thara Uddin.

Source: New Strait Times August 14, 2016 00:33 UTC