Police last night launched a hunt for the Iranian head of an Islamic college who was kidnapped in an attack which also saw the institution's administrator being wounded.

International Islamic College of Advanced Studies (IICAS) Director Mohamed Hussein Ibrahim, called `Sheik' was abducted from his car while he and the Administrator Raymond Halley were departing the school's headquarters at 42b United Nations Place at around 10 pm. Up to 1 am today the police were still searching for Ibrahim.

Halley, 51, was shot in his right instep as he attempted to flee from the scene as the men armed with handguns demanded that they exit their vehicle.

He was treated at a city hospital after being taken there by a public-spirited citizen who was passing at the time.

Reports say that Ibrahim, who appeared to be the target of the attackers, was dragged from his vehicle, PJJ 509, a white AE 192 Toyota Carina, after the men had shot and immobilised it.

He was bundled into a dark-coloured car which then sped away initially south along United Nations Place and later east along Brickdam. There was no further information on Ibrahim and how long he had been at the college. It appeared that he was the target of a well-planned attack.

When Stabroek News arrived on the scene shortly after the incident the IICAS Director's vehicle was stalled at the spot in the middle of United Nations Place.

The vehicle with four clearly visible bullet holes in the region of the bonnet appeared to have sustained damage to its engine as was evident from a large oil spill on the roadway.

The car's front right side appeared as if it had been hit from the side as there was evidence of damage to the right side indicator.

At the time, the police were seen speaking to eyewitnesses as they sought to obtain information about the incident.

A popular fast food entity in the vicinity immediately closed its doors for the night as personnel from a city security firm made spot checks to ensure all was safe there.

A security guard in the area told this newspaper that she heard a large number of shots as the abductors shouted instructions at the Islamic College officials.

According to the guard, the men were heard ordering that no one should move even as they continued to intermittently fire shots. The guard thought that someone had died based on the intensity of the firing but later saw the men dragging the cleric from his car before escaping with him in their vehicle.

The gates of the college remained opened after the incident and from appearances no one seemed to be there.

Recent weeks have seen a resurgence in a variety of criminal attacks.