65-year-old Muslim worshipper in Norway, Mohamed Rafiq, has become a hero after he disarmed a 21-year-old terrorist, who entered a mosque during Eid prayers to carry out another Christchurch-like massacre.
Philip Manshaus had entered the Al-Noor Islamic Centre in the Oslo suburb of Baerum armed with atleast two rifles and wearing body armour. He was about to carry out his indiscriminate shooting plan when Rafiq pounced on him. Not only did the 65-year-old Muslim worshipper (pictured above) disarm the terrorist but also left him with two black eyes.
Rafiq, who’s believed to be an ex-Pakistani Air Force officer, is now being hailed across the globe with social media users describing him a real hero. One user, whose tweet in praise of Rafiq, has received more than 55,000 likes and over 20,000 retweets, wrote, “Mohamed Rafiq, a 65 year- old disarmed a heavily armed 21 year-old who begun shooting in a Mosque in Norway WITH HIS BARE HANDS. Your stereotypical terrorist (Brown, turban, long beard, Muslim man) is actually your HERO. REMEMBER THIS next time you stereotype. Don’t Stereotype.
Mohamed Rafiq, a 65 year- old disarmed a heavily armed 21 year-old who begun shooting in a Mosque in Norway WITH HIS BARE HANDS
Your stereotypical terrorist (Brown, turban, long beard, Muslim man) is actually your HERO.
REMEMBER THIS next time you stereotype
Don’t Stereotype. pic.twitter.com/2RJZ0afH4t
— StanceGrounded (@_SJPeace_) August 13, 2019
Similar sentiments have been expressed by countless other users on the microblogging site.
Meanwhile, the terrorist in question appeared before a court in Norway for a trial but he refused to speak. He was seen smiling at the camera. His lawyer said that his client was exercising his rights to not express himself for now. The terrorist in question had also killed his teenage step-sister before arriving in the mosque to kill Muslims.
According to London’s Independent news website, when officers later raided his nearby home, they found the body of his 17-year-old stepsister, who he is suspected of murdering beforehand.
Terror suspect Manshaus’ lawyer refused to comment on whether his client was inspired by the New Zealand mosque terrorist attack where a gunman killed 51 people in March this year.
Norwegian PM Erna Solberg has said that the attempted attack inside the mosque was a ‘direct attack on Norwegian Muslims.’ She said that ‘combating hate speech’ was a priority adding that elderly people with ‘extreme views against Islam’ were a cause for concern.