LONDON — A British court on Saturday charged a 29-year-old homeless man with causing grievous bodily harm and possessing an illegal knife he used to stab a mosque leader during prayers.

Suspect Daniel Horton stabbed London Central Mosque's muazzin Raafat Maglad during daily prayers on Thursday.

London police quickly ruled out a terror motive.

Maglad was treated at a London hospital and returned to the mosque for Friday's evening service with his arm wrapped in a sling.

"I forgive him. I feel very sorry for him," Maglad told reporters on Friday.

"To me, as a Muslim, I don't need to put any hatred in my heart."

Prosecutor Tanyia Dogra said Maglad had suffered a wound to his neck.

She also told the court that the two men knew each other because Horton had come to the Regent's Park area mosque in northwest London several times over the years.

Horton was remanded in custody ahead of another court hearing on March 20. — AFP