Oman’s Grand Mufti surprised citizens were behind mosque attack

ISIS have claimed shooting that killed six people, including a police officer, in Muscat

The attack happened at the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque, in the Wadi Al Kabir neighbourhood of Muscat. AFP

Oman’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalili said he was surprised that Omanis were behind the deadly attack at a Shiite mosque near Muscat.

The three gunmen who killed six people in the attack claimed by ISIS were all citizens, police said.

“We did not imagine that the perpetrators of the crime that occurred were Omani citizens, and we were truly surprised by this,” Sheikh Al Khalili said in a statement.

“The norm in this good country is that Omani education rejects, by nature, any aggression against a citizen or expatriate due to an intellectual or sectarian disagreement.”

The assault began on Monday evening at the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque in the Wadi Al Kabir neighbourhood of Muscat.

The gunmen “were killed due to their insistence on resisting security personnel”, the Royal Oman Police said.

Investigations indicated the attackers were “influenced by misguided ideas”, the police added.

“Whatever the difference between the groups of the nation in perception and belief or in the practices of religious rituals, it must not lead to aggression by some against others in their religious sanctities,” Sheikh Ahmed said in an earlier statement, warning that the attack “only breeds hatred and strife”.

Four Pakistani citizens, an Indian and a police officer were killed in the attack. Pakistan has described it as a terrorist attack.

The bodies of the four Pakistanis killed in in the attack were repatriated and handed to their families on Friday, according to officials.

Relatives of the victims were present at Islamabad and Lahore airports to receive the Pakistan International Airlines flights. Airline spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez said the bodies were repatriated at orders from the government and handed to the victims' relatives for burial.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday offered his condolences to Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi for the “horrific shooting incident”.

“Secretary Blinken expressed the United States’ solidarity with the people of Oman and our appreciation for the efforts of the Royal Oman Police throughout the attack,” a State Department statement read.

During the phone call, they also discussed continuing diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza that provides for the release of the hostages, as well as a “significant and sustained increase” in humanitarian assistance throughout the enclave.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack on Friday.

“Such acts of terrorism and violence against peaceful civilians cannot be condoned on any grounds whatsoever,” ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at a news conference in Islamabad.

The attack demonstrated the persistent threat posed by terrorist organisations and was a reminder of the importance of working together to fight them, said Ms Baloch. She said Pakistan offered its assistance to Oman in the investigation into the attacks.