Came to kill – NRK Norway – Summary of news from different parts of the country

Irfan Mohammad Mushtaq is a former director and now a board member of the Al-Noor Mosque, which was attacked by Philip Manshaus on August 10 of last year.

He says he was home when a craftsman who worked in the mosque called him and said he was shooting.

– It’s a few seconds, and I think he’s joking. But we had the Christchurch incident in mind and thought the worst, Mushtaq says.

In court on Monday, a different character told Mushtaq that he feared more perpetrators.

– I jumped into the car and drove to the mosque at an illegal speed.

When he arrived, he encountered one of the mosque’s gangs, who had contact with the police by phone.

Mushtaq took over the phone as he tried to get a better picture of the situation. Finally he found Muhammad Rafiq (66), who was sitting on top of Manshaus, with a lot of blood on his clothes.

– I saw an old man, who seemed tired and helpless. Fortunately, it turned out in hindsight that he was not helpless at all. I run, take care of my legs, and enter the prayer room. Meanwhile, Rafiq has moved around him and has his hand around his neck, Mushtaq says.

– It has been locked

Mushtaq also sat on the terrorist before tying him with the magnet’s shawl. At the same time, he had the police on the wire.

– When I see the blue lights, I think the police have come and ask him to be alone. I run away and ask the police to come.

Mushtaq says he only had four hours with a crisis psychologist after the incident. The time after the attack has been heavy. In January, “it totally broke,” he told the court.

– There are some images that are stuck, the image with blood spills and empty sleeves. I remember well the smell and the head of the terrorist. He sits in a suit and a good lick here now, but what I saw was a picture of an evil boy who had bad deeds that he would perform. It has affected my daily life, ”says Mushtaq.

He says he has also reflected a lot on Manshaus by explaining that he was actually going to attack on Sunday, the first day of the Eid celebration. Normally, there would be between 500 and 600 people in the mosque, says Mushtaq.

– What do you think that Manshaus regrets not having received more blows? Assistant Attorney John Christian Elden asked.

– Hit. I will not hide it. I can’t say much more about it. Of course, when you are a father with three children and think about your future, you are scared, Mushtaq replied.

Bean blanket not covered

Mushtaq says that attendance at the mosque has been greatly reduced as a result of the attack on the mosque, because many are afraid.

– Daily life is no longer normal. I even have children who don’t dare to go to the mosque. Many adults also fear that the incident will have significant consequences, and it can happen at any time, Mushtaq says.

The financial consequences for the mosque have been excellent. Fewer visitors also mean fewer gifts, which has previously been a major source of income.

– There has also been no help from the state or the authorities or others. We have only received help from the Turkish authorities to replace the prayer blankets, which is important. The insurance declined, Mushtaq explained in court.

For NRK, Mushtaq says he believes the Norwegian authorities should have done more to counter Islamophobia and Muslim hatred.

– I wonder what the authorities should do to help. Until now there has been nothing, quite the contrary. Support for groups like the Human Rights Service has increased, says Mushtaq.

In court on Monday, he also said he feared the lawsuit would help fellow Manshaus prisoners feel called to carry out a new attack.

– This incident has helped create fear. This fear is also related to the fact that because this action failed, it is most likely that someone thinks it is shameful for right-wing extremists who did not implement and will try to rectify it.

– Come kill

It was Mohammad Iqbal and Muhammad Rafiq (66) who dominated Philip Manshaus when he entered the Al-Noor mosque in Bærum in August last year, armed with a hunting rifle and shotgun.

Manshaus went to the mosque to “kill as many Muslims as possible” after shooting and killing stepsister Johanne Zhangjia Ihle-Hansen (17) at the family home.

The 22-year-old shot the entire attack with a GoPro camera. The video, which appeared in court last week, shows how Manshaus shot and broke a glass door at the mosque’s side entrance.

Iqbal, who testified Monday, said he heard the shooting outside when Manshaus attempted to enter, understanding that the mosque was under attack.

Manshaus quickly encountered Rafiq and Iqbal, and ended up in a basket on the floor with Rafiq, where two shotguns were fired.

– Shot me down. The bullets were right next to me on one side and the other. It was just me standing there and he wanted to shoot me. He came to kill, Iqbal explained Monday.

He says he was two meters away when they were fired.

– The pants he was wearing when the shot happened

Fear of going out

Iqbal grabbed a gun and hit Manshaus twice in the head with the flask until the Manshaus rifle lost to the ground.

– I hit him twice, and in the third I thought that if he hurt his head, the police came to ask us about it. He could also have died, says Iqbal.

One of the first police officers to arrive at the mosque said Monday that Manshaus’ face was covered in blood when police arrived.

The 77-year-old man struggles with a drop in blood pressure and had to leave the mosque at one point because his legs began to shake. Manshaus was held by Rafiq, and finally tied to the legs by a third person, according to Iqbal.

Iqbal says that he is still afraid and that the attack has affected his health. Now she uses crutches because her legs have weakened.

– I was afraid to go out and I didn’t go out in three weeks. I get scared when I look out the window in the bathroom, or in the cars outside the kitchen window. I also said that we have to sell the property, because it is right on the road. I have anxiety and I am still anxious when cars stop on the road, he says.

– Look at everyone with doubts

Iqbal says he still receives flashbacks and struggles to sleep every night. He also says that he rarely goes out and is afraid of being in public places.

– If I hear a sound, I wake up. I think someone will come with weapons. I get very anxious, especially if I don’t know who he is. I have lived in the same place for 49 years, and have never had this fear before, he says.

Iqbal traveled to Pakistan for six months after the attack.

I was scared. I fled. I told my children that they had to send me there. I can’t go out now. I look at everyone with doubts and I think someone will expose me to something, he says.

Iqbal’s son says he follows his father everywhere because he feels insecure.

– He is not the person he was. He has become very sedentary, does not laugh much, and quickly becomes angry. When he first came out, he said they were all similar to the defendant, he says.

The son also brought a jacket bag when he arrived at court today. The jacket has holes, and the son explains that there are bullet holes, since the jacket hung in the hallway where Manshaus shot.

– I thought it was my last second alive

The third person at the mosque, a 30-year-old man, says Manshaus was armed “from head to toe” and pointed at them.

He says he thought both Rafiq and Iqbal had been hit when he heard the shots.

– I didn’t see them, but I heard the sound. I thought he had shot Rafiq and Iqbal. I thought it was my turn and he was going to send me a bullet. I thought it was my last second alive. I thought about my wife and children, and what would happen to them. So I opened the door and got out, he says.

He went out to call the police and, at the same time, tried to stop the cars on the street, with no luck.

Was honored

Muhammad Rafiq testified in court on Friday. He recounted how he resolutely attacked Manshaus when he entered the mosque’s prayer room with two weapons. After dominating Manshaus, Rafiq lay and fought the terrorist on the ground for more than 20 minutes before the police arrived.

Rafiq says he was afraid of dying, and that Manshaus would sometimes stick a finger in his eye, hit him, kick him and spit on him.

“I thought if I only escaped once, it was my death,” Rafiq said Friday.

Manshaus was very surprised at the first prison meeting. Rafiq and Iqbal were honored at the Sandvika Police House and appreciated their efforts to save lives.

Manshaus is accused of murder and terrorism. He has acknowledged the facts, but rejects the criminal charges for alleging distress.

Prosecutor Johan Øverberg has made reservations that the allegation of arrest be closed.