Forest Hills Man Arraigned on Hate Crime, Attempted Murder Charges: Queens DA

A 55-year-old Forest Hills man has been arrested on attempted murder and hate crime charges after he allegedly attacked a man at a Flushing mosque in November, the Queens district attorney said.

Bernhard Laufer, who lives on 65th Road in Forest Hills, was arraigned before Queens Criminal Court Judge Deborah Modica on second degree murder as a hate crime, assault and attempted assault, Queens DA Richard Brown said.

If convicted, the defendant could face a minimum of eight years and a maximum of 25 years in prison.

“Crimes fueled by hate will never be tolerated here in Queens County, the most diverse county in the nation,” the DA said. “When they do, regrettably, occur, they will be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”

On Nov. 18, 57-year-old Bashir Ahmad, 57, was unlocking the front door of Flushing’s Masjid Al-Saaliheen Mosque on Kissena Boulevard for morning prayers just before 5 a.m. when he was stabbed in the back.

He turned around to see Laufer standing behind him. The defendant allegedly continued to stab him about the body, causing bleeding and lacerations as well as bruising and swelling to his head, hands, legs and back, Brown said.

Laufer is accused of telling the victim, “I’ll kill you Muslim,” adding an expletive at the end, according to the criminal complaint.

Ahmad was taken to a local Queens hospital, where he received several stitches and staples for his injuries.