A mosque in Mississauga, Ont., is considering keeping its doors locked during prayers after a man wielding an axe and bear spray interrupted an early-morning prayer and allegedly attacked congregants on Saturday.
Ibrahim Hindy, imam at the Dar Al-Tawheed Islamic Centre, says there was a group of about 20 men praying in a room at the mosque on Saturday morning when a man entered and allegedly discharged bear spray towards people who were praying.
Hindy says a few of the congregants quickly subdued the alleged attacker until police arrived.
Peel Regional Police say Mohammad Moiz Omar, 24, was charged with assault with a weapon, administering a noxious substance with intent to endanger life or cause bodily harm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, uttering a threat to cause death or bodily harm, carrying a concealed weapon and mischief to religious property.
Police said he was held for a bail hearing and appeared in court in Brampton.
Hindy says many people at the mosque are “really, deeply shaken” by the incident, which occurred just two weeks before the start of the holy month of Ramadan.
He says the mosque is considering various ways of beefing up its security including keeps its doors locked after prayers begin to prevent similar incidents from happening.