The man accused of stabbing a Paterson imam during morning prayers at a city mosque Sunday morning told police he wanted to kill the man over religious differences, court documents show.

Serif Zorba, 32, was subdued by congregants at the Omar Mosque after he allegedly attacked 65-year-old Imam Sayed Elnakib at the Getty Avenue house of worship, authorities said.

During a brief virtual court appearance from the Bergen County Jail on Monday, Zorba spoke through a Turkish-language interpreter and at times appeared confused. 

“I didn’t do anything,” he said as a judge explained his rights.

Zorba said he came from Istanbul but was unable to provide his Paterson address, instead naming a grocery store nearby. He first rejected, then accepted, representation from a public defender.

As the judge read the accusations against him — which include attempted murder and weapons possession — Zorba said only, “I accept that charge.”

The stabbing occurred a day after the discovery of an act of vandalism at the Dr. Hani Awadallah School in Paterson. A vandal defaced the “allah” part of the Awadallah’s name. “Allah” means “God” in Arabic.

Awadallah was a leader in Paterson’s Arab-American community who taught lessons in heritage and culture at a Paterson school. He died in 2012.

Elnakib was stabbed while delivering morning prayers at 5:44 a.m and was taken was to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center for treatment.

Court documents shed new light on the alleged motive behind the attack.

When police arrived they found a crowd of about 100 people, some of whom had detained Zorba.

“During the attempted detention, officers were being surrounded and swarmed by individuals present who were beginning to become hostile,” a Paterson police officer wrote in an affidavit.

“As they escorted the detainee outside profanities were being yelled at them as they attempted to kick and punch the suspect.”

Immediately after his arrest, Zorba told police “he planned the attack the night prior at his home on his own due to his disagreeing with the mosque and its leader collecting money in the name of Islam,” the officer wrote.

“Mr. Zorba stated he wanted to kill the head of the organization for this reason. He stated he had no intention in harming anyone else or any other plans than the one he acted out.”

Zorba told the officer, he intended to kill Elnakib, according to the document.

“He stated he had no further weapons at his home or any other plans of violence but did not like when others offended the Islamic religion,” the document said.

Elnakib was expected to recover, according to a spokesman for the mosque. Al Abdel-aziz, a city councilman, said in a social media post he prayed with the congregation after the attack.

“While it is unclear what motivated the attacker, there is no justification for violence of any kind, especially in a sacred space,” Al Abdel-aziz said.