NY student charged for slashing Muslim's throat
A college student has been charged with slashing a New York taxi driver's throat and face after the driver said he was Muslim, the Associated Press reports.
Michael Enright, 21, is alleged to have told the driver in Arabic "consider this a checkpoint", before the attack occurred inside a yellow cab on Manhattan's east side.
Enright is being held on charges of attempted murder and assault as hate crimes, and possession of a weapon.
The defendant did not enter a plea during his brief court appearance, and was refused bail.
Prosecutor James Zeleta heard cabbie Ahmed H. Sharif suffered a serious neck injury and cuts to his forearms, face and one hand while trying to fight off Enright.
Enright's defense attorney told the judge his client was an honours student who lives with his parents in suburban New York.
Enright volunteered for Intersections International, a group that promotes interfaith dialogue and has supported plans for an Islamic centre and mosque two blocks from ground zero.
A representative from the group, Reverend Robert Chase, called the situation "tragic."
"I feel very sad," said Chase.
"All drivers should be more careful."
It's been reported Enright was volunteering for the group for about a year on a project that involved veterans.
He was sent to Afghanistan for six weeks to do a video project documenting the life of the average soldier.
Although Intersections has come out in support of the ground zero mosque project, Chase said Enright wasn't involved in that.
Enright faces a maximum eight to 25 years in prison if convicted of the attempted murder charge.
