Posted on 08/26/2010 3:32:01 AM PDT by Scanian
A crazed film student who recently embedded with Marines in Afghanistan is accused of a drunken, hate-fueled attack on a Muslim cabby in Midtown -- further heightening tensions in a city already gripped by the Ground Zero mosque controversy.
Michael Enright, 21, of upstate Brewster, asked his victim if he was a Muslim and exchanged pleasantries in Arabic before going berserk and slashing the driver's neck and face through the taxi's partition, police said.
He has been charged with attempted murder as a hate crime for the attack, in which he allegedly shouted, "This is a checkpoint, motherf- - -ker! I have to put you down!"
Cabby Ahmed Sharif, a Bangladeshi immigrant, said anger over the proposed Park Place mosque may have played a role in the horrifying attack.
"I know many people are upset. I didn't support the mosque at Ground Zero, either," the Jamaica, Queens, resident said.
"I've lived in this country for 35 years. I've worked hard. This country has helped me a lot. But before yesterday, I never felt like I didn't belong here.
"I feel very sad," Sharif, 43, continued. "I have been driving a taxi more than 15 years. All my four kids were born here. I never feel this hopeless and insecure before.
"Right now, the public sentiment is very serious. All drivers should be more careful."
Enright -- whose alcoholism has lead to several minor brushes with the NYPD -- returned to the United States in May after five weeks in Helmand Province filming the Marines.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Yes, the quote may or may not be true. But it’s probably true. The cabbie seems credible.
The perp isn’t with an organization that supports the mosque. He did some volunteer work for them some time ago, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he did that for “recon” purposes.
It’s the military checkpoint reference that really raises flags that he’s not a leftwinger.
You never know with this stuff, but I just have a feeling that his ideological orientation isn’t going to break the way we want it to.
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