Algerian Man Accused of Lebanese Imam Murder in London

The Scotland Yard accused an Algerian man with the murder of Lebanese imam Sheikh Maymun Zarzur who was killed on Saturday after leading early morning Muslim (Fajr) prayers at the Muslim Welfare House in London.

The pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat reported on Monday that the Algerian national, Ziani Issa, 24, will be tried north London.

Police told the newspaper that they had received a phone call saying that a man was seriously injured at Muslim Welfare House in Seven Sisters Road, north London.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said on Saturday they had arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of murder.

"This is not believed to be a race/faith hate crime," Scotland Yard said.

Islamist in London told the newspaper that the suspect is “possessed and known among the community of suffering from psychological illness.”

Witnesses said that the man screamed at the scene: “I am Jesus Christ and I have killed the Fake Christ,” noting that he confessed to his murder when he was arrested.

Sources told the daily that the Sheikh tried to help the Algerian man by reading Quran to him, however the suspect beat him up and smashed his head.

According to a Muslim Brotherhood official in Lebanon, Zarzur is Lebanese and from the southern Iqleem al-Kharoub region. He was in his 40s.

Zarzur had been the imam of the Muslim Welfare House in north London since 2009.