Video: Man attempts to stab elderly imam outside mosque in Riyadh

Dubai: A viral video showing an attempted attack on a mosque imam as he exited the building has prompted immediate action by Saudi Ministry of Interior, which confirmed the arrest of the assailant in Riyadh.

The footage, widely circulated on social media, shows the imam, an elderly man with a white beard, leaving the mosque when he is suddenly confronted by a man holding what appeared to be a knife. The imam manages to push the attacker back, and several bystanders also rushed in to intervene.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior released a statement confirming the arrest of the suspect, whose image was published on the ministry’s official Snapchat account. Another image showed him from behind, in custody.

“Riyadh Police have arrested a person who appeared in a video attempting to assault another individual in front of a mosque,” the ministry said. “He has been taken into custody, and legal procedures are underway. He has been referred to the Public Prosecution.”

The incident took place in the Manfouha neighborhood of the capital. While social media users speculated the attacker may have attempted to stab the imam, authorities have not officially disclosed details the motive.

In a separate development, the ministry added that it is also working to apprehend the individual who recorded and shared the video, citing violations of the Kingdom’s Anti-Cybercrime Law, which prohibits unauthorized sharing of footage depicting criminal acts.

No further information has been released about the imam’s condition or any charges that may be filed against the attacker.