Police: Cab Driver Stabbed By Passenger Who Asked "Are You Muslim?"

[kpete]

Source: NY 1

A city cab driver is in the hospital after being stabbed by a passenger who allegedly asked if he was Muslim, police tell NY1.

Investigators with the New York City Police Department say it all began Monday night when a 21-year-old man hailed a cab at 24th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan.

Police say the passenger asked the driver, "Are you Muslim?" When the driver said yes the passenger pulled a knife and slashed him in the throat, arm and lip.

The 43-year-old driver was able to lock the passenger in the back of the cab and call 911.

Both the driver and the passenger were taken to Bellevue Hospital.

As of late Tuesday, no charges had been filed.

Read more: http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/124338/police--cab-driver-stabbed-by-passenger-who-asked--are-you-muslim

---

VIDEO NY1:
http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/124338/police--cab-driver-stabbed-by-passenger-who-asked--are-you-muslim

UPDATE:
NYPD Charges Man With Hate Crime After He Allegedly Stabbed Muslim Cab Driver
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/08/nypd_charges_man_with_hate_crime_after_allegedly_stabbing_muslim_cabbie.php?ref=fpblg

[sinkingfeeling]

1. This is what the RW fear-machine has wrought. Wonder why no charges.

[Bitwit1234]

36. Until the government starts prosecuting these right wing hate

spewers who are urging this hate and violence it will continue. If this was a normal crime and some one tells a person to go out and kill someone they are arrested for conspiracy, why not Rush and Drudge and Palin and Bachman and especially the crew over at FOX.

[ChiTownChavista]

93. RW Jesus Nazis on a genocide run.

par for the Limbaugh zombie mother fuckers.

[SCantiGOP]

64. no charges because

he is at Bellvue. They're trying to decide if he's sane.

[SCantiGOP]

66. Here's the Salon story

He has been charged with a hate crime:

The man who allegedly stabbed a cab driver after learning that the driver was a Muslim is Michael Enright, a 21-year-old filmmaker from upstate New York. Enright -- who shoots video for a New York-based peace group that counts Cordoba Initiative as one of its partners -- has been charged with attempted murder as a hate crime, and police say he was "very, very intoxicated" when he got in the cab at 6 p.m. last night.

http://www.salon.com/news/crime/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/08/25/cab_stabbing_update

[Frisbee]

104. Thank God he was intoxicated...

it sounds like his lack of coordination may be the only thing that saved the cabbies life. This needs to be charged as a hate crime and the prosecutor needs to ask for the maximum penalty (hopefully, life). But we all know that piece of crap will be hailed as a hero among the FOX viewers, though probably through their coded language. This asshole is the new Hitler youth. What is happening to this country, we are going backwards so fast it is mind-boggling.

[Weird Liberal Head]

68. Well...

...all conservatives are insane.

[murdoch]

87. I guess the RW hate/fear-machine will consider this a success

The RW hate/fear-machine, which goes over our public airwaves, much of which are under the control of a billionaire foreigner, Rupert Murdoch, goes on the air every day and talks about how white, heterosexual Christian Americans are having their lives threatened by the gays, the blacks, the Mexicans, women who want equal rights - the "feminazis", Muslims, labor unions, liberals and anyone else you can think of.

They have been fanning the flames and stirring up the hate in NYC due to the YMCA-like community center in lower Manhattan. Despite their being a strip club closer to the "sacred ground" of the former World Trade Center, despite their being an actual mosque one block farther away - which existed before the World Trade Center was even built.

Bill Ayers burned down and blew up buildings in the 1960's, in which no one (outside the group) was ever killed or even hurt. Whether it was wise to do or not, all must acknowledge no one was physically harmed by this. Yet 30-40 years later the newspapers are full of discussion of his actions and why he is unapologetic and how Obama has to distance himself from him (more than he already was presumably, Obama barely knew him). Yet these people and the RW hate machine get a pass. There is this, there is the gunman who was just arrested trying to bomb the Tides foundation and lots of others. These people always get a pass for some reason - the RW terrorists disappear from the public mind, the RW hate machine spews on, inciting more people to hate and violence.

[Jumping John]

2. Find out the faith of the assailant and ban all of those

that follow that religion from being able to ride in cabs. Do it for the security of this great nation.

[AllTooEasy]

20. Exactly! Even if this criminal is Catholic like me.

I support a %100 ban.

[SCantiGOP]

65. concerning Catholics

Using the Newt logic, we shouldn't allow any Catholic churches to be built until they let the Baptists build a church in the Vatican.

[Granny M]

109. LOL. n/t

[Name removed]

95. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[More_liberal_than_mo]

3. This happened Monday

and it's now Wednesday and no charges have been filed. You've got to be kidding. The seeds of hate sown in the past few days over the "Ground Zero Mosque" are starting to bear fruit.

[Dogtown]

8. On going investigation, perhaps.

If the perp is in mandatory detox or Psych Eval, he's safely contained and charges may be more specific or pertinent after hospital report is complete.

I'm usually suspicious of the police, but this may just be bureaucratically mandated.

I'm sure that charges will be filed; hate crimes such as this are too politically sensitive to hush. There would have to be some extreme motivation to risk the backlash.

[mallard]

12. Re: wrong precinct

... they're not saying as much about the identity of the assailant as the victim. Was getting Saddam's head removed from his body not blood libel enough for 9/11, or is this just another way to extend the shadow blame in one general direction? Getting caught would apparently not have been a part of the attacker's premeditated plan. Good for the driver to have managed to detain him. Seems like someone - other than NYPD - was on HIS side.

Can't wait to read the follow up on who the stabber is and why he says he did it.

"Are you an American?" is a question bound to be raised elsewhere. WTF.

[TBF]

16. Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11 -

that was just Jr. taking care of a family vendetta.

Further the invasion of Afghanistan/Pakistan has nothing to do with 9/11, we are simply protecting our oil interests overseas. All the rest is smoke and mirrors...

[customerserviceguy]

96. The mosque protests had nothing to do with this

This is a yahoo from Putnam County (believe me, even though it's NY, it's redneck America) who was shitfaced drunk who did this. He didn't need any encouragement from anti-mosque protestors or Faux News to be an asshole.

[lunasun]

97. didn't need any encouragement from anti-mosque protestors or Faux you say?

I think he did , to get to this type of bold and specific aggression. Perhaps some Jack Daniels was part of the blame too ..........
Empty and hot headed
Talking heads fill in the blanks for these dumb people looking for 'who to blame'

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. Very scary

[Whoa_Nelly]

5. Fear hatching

thanks, you fear-mongering bastards :grr:
(Beck, Limbaugh, Tea Party idiots, and more)

Although I understand freedom of speech, I cannot understand how the FCC allows hate speech to be played over and over again day after day, especially when the FCC will not allow people's naked bodies to be seen on most regular programming, or cuss words used on air. Yet, hate speech that ratchets up the fear, feeds the sad souls who take it upon themselves to use this platform of fear as a springboard for actively pursuing attack and kill as a personal mission. It happens, and then happens, again, and again, and....

I would hope that the attacker would become big news re: being in the wrong, arrested, sentenced, but those days are long gone when something like this happens and gets national media coverage. More likely it will become old news in 15 minutes because ratcheting up fear and loathing of Muslims is much better press.

[tblue37]

73. Hate radio is what led to the genocide in Rwanda. nt

[lunasun]

98. I did not know that ...just read about it in the 90's .

I love rwandan music singers from that time and read they got involved too ugh!

[itsrobert]

6. I think it is likely that this is a right wing nut, however

could it be some extremist enforcing some type of 'muslim/islamic' law? Maybe the cabbie had a picture of a half naked woman in his cab or something like that?

[hlthe2b]

7. I am impressed the driver was able to subdue the guy...

and lock him in the cab.... Or maybe he just hit an automatic lock switch without having to struggle with him, it isn't clear. Nonethless, this guy is so F__ked. Charges WILL be forthcoming, no doubt. May well be that they are debating whether to add hate crimes to assault with intent or something along those lines...

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Thank you wingnut fear mongers

You are to be commended for sowing seeds of hate.

[Hosnon]

10. What, no region-based attacks? Look sharp, DU.

Had the community center episode and related events taken place in Atlanta, Charlotte, or Birmingham, DU would be overflowing with bigotry directed at the South.

[slackmaster]

13. Everybody loves New York

I know I do.

:hi:

[AllTooEasy]

21. No we don't!!!

I need the beach and warm weather all year. Cleanliness would also be nice.

NYC is great to visit though.

[slackmaster]

23. I wouldn't want to live there either

:hi:

[daleanime]

24. Huh?

No snark, just surprise.

[alcibiades_mystery]

37. Way to stay on topic

What's that on your shoulder?

[Hosnon]

41. Sub-threads routinely go off-topic - spare me the faux concern for continuity.

And I admittedly have a chip on my shoulder, if that's how you want to characterize it. DU repeatedly demonstrates its bigotry towards the South.

I'll make you a deal: when the South-bashing stops, I'll stop poking. Voila.

[Dogtown]

55. Your off-topic flame bait of a post isn't doing the image any good.

[Hosnon]

58. Well, that didn't take long. nt.

[slackmaster]

110. This sub-thread is now about grapefruit

[Dogtown]

114. Very good, slackmaster!

I prefer the Ruby Red, but i find that grapefruit sometimes keep me up at night.

[alcibiades_mystery]

76. I'll leave you to your

moping.

[mreilly]

77. I lived down South a while back

I saw some bashing and bigotry going on - directed at me. I'm sure you weren't responsible, but nevertheless here's what I enjoyed during my time in North Carolina after I moved there briefly from Massachusetts:

Endured endless Yankee jokes and condescending sniffs about "northerners comin' down here where they don't belong, tryin' to tell us how to live."

Was hollered at by some good old boys (Rush Limbaugh lovers, of course) for my "Vote Democratic" and "Bill Clinton" bumper stickers.

Was referred to as snotty, stupid, know-it-all, elitist, or just plain foolish for the apparent crime of being born and raised north of the Mason-Dixon line.

Was told by some revisionist historians, apparently unable to get over the past, that the South had been victimized by the North during the Civil War; that "Yankees want to say it was about the niggers but it was about states rights and northern imperialism"

Was informed Ted Kennedy was a fat murdering drunk asshole who ought to be in jail for killing that poor girl (whom of course Kennedy's detractors never gave a crap about; she was merely used gleefully by them to try to discredit Kennedy's entire life)

Was basically told to go back to my pinko, commie state of welfare leeches, fags and feminists. Which I did (for reasons NOT related to the less-than-hospitable natives I encountered, but rather a new relationship with a girl who became my wife), and where I've been happily residing again for the past fourteen years.

Yeah, I saw some people down South with some massive chips on their shoulders. Can't help but feel it's not an area with much to offer us these days besides Republican idiots and mosquitoes. Present company excepted, of course.

[Enthusiast]

106. Not all Southerners

are uneducated bigots. :hide:

[beac]

11. No charges??? What the hell are they waiting for?

This is just sickening. Every one of those a-holes who've been fear-mongering about the "Ground Zero Mosque" (Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, McConnell, etc.) should be charged as accomplices.

[CLANG]

44. Don't forget Nut, er, Newt...

[beac]

56. Yeah, him too. Newt should be charged all on his own for fomenting violence

... and just being an all around wretched sack of scum.

[wookie72]

14. I don't know if I'm being churlish or not, but...

is it too much of a stretch to compare this with Daniel Pearl?

[CLANG]

45. It did seem like an attempted execution

[Raine1967]

15. Interesting choice of weapon.

From the TPM article
According to Detective Marc Nell, at 6:12 pm last night, the driver picked up Michael Enright, 21, of Brewster, NY, at the intersection of 24th Street and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan. The cab proceeded to drive north, and Enright asked the driver, who Nell identified as a 43-year-old Asian male, if he was Muslim. After the driver responded that he was, Enright allegedly stabbed him repeatedly with a Leatherman tool, according to police.


From the 9-11 commission report:
http://www.9-11commission.gov/archive/hearing7/9-11Commission_Hearing_2004-01-27.htm

Our best working hypothesis is that a number of the hijackers were carrying -- permissible under the regulations in place at the time -- permissible utility knives or pocket knives. One example of such a utility knife is displayed by Mr. Brinkley here, this so-called Leatherman item. We know that at least two knives like this were actually purchased by the hijackers and have not been found in the belongings the hijackers left behind. We are passing this around now. Please be careful, the blade is open. It locks into position. It is very sharp.

According to the guidelines as we understand them that existed on 9/11, if such a knife were discovered in the possession of an individual who alarmed either the walk through metal detector or the hand wand, the item would be returned to the owner and permitted to be carried on the aircraft. Once the hijackers were able to get through the checkpoints and board the plane, the last layer of defense was on board security. That layer was comprised of two main elements on 9/11, the presence of law enforcement on the flights and the so called Common Strategy for responding to in-flight security emergencies, including hijacking, which had been devised by the FAA in consultation with industry and law enforcement officials.

It probably is a coincidence, I just thought it was strange.

[jberryhill]

30. Those multi-tools have probably gotten more popular that Swiss Army knives

Being of the "doesn't everybody carry a pocketknife" persuasion, those multi-tools have become a good alternative now that everyplace is jittery about knives, since the blades on them are pretty small (and the pliers are pretty handy).

There are a lot of knock-offs, so probably most references to a "Leatherman tool" are probably stand-ins for the generic term "multi-tool". It's one of those things like "Kleenex" or "Jell-O" where the dominant brand in a field is used as the name of the whatchamacallit.

Come to think of it, most "swiss army knife" references are usually to any sort of folding multi-blade knife, than a particular brand.

It was probably not a "choice of weapon" so much as what the guy normally carries.

I dunno how many guys carry pocketknives on a regular basis these days, but I always did until I started flying a lot.

[TexasProgresive]

54. I've carried a Leatherman for several years

Mine has 2 3" blades + a saw. I guarantee that I could do serious damage to someone with any of the 3 if I desired. And those blades are so unsanitary that a scratch might prove fatal.

[jberryhill]

57. Of course, it is a potentially lethal weapon

I was responding to the observation that "Leatherman" is often used for the entire category of multi-tools.

[Botany]

17. Thanx guys!

[chervilant]

28. Wow...

Just get a look at all those chubby cheeks...

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lautremont]

32. None of those guys seems especially fat, but they do have chubby cheeks.

[Phil The Cat]

49. So did by very liberal Auntie!

Your point being? Chubby cheeks turn someone into a RWer?

[Chulanowa]

63. Calm down before we send you back to La Mancha.

It's a commentary of these hate-spewing fuckfaces still looking so boyish and cute for the camera. And yes, there is a sub-text of how these assholes who contribute nothing but strife and stress to our society manage to stay flush and plump while even many of their listeners are scraping for food money.

[wookie72]

74. Being overweight is actually a sign of poverty in North America

Thanks to high-fructose corn syrup, etc.

[Phil The Cat]

78. We are not lacking for calories in America

As far as I can see, even the poorest in America have access to SOMETHING to eat!

The nutrition problem is twofold: lack of access to GOOD, HEALTHY food, and a cultural bias towards BAD food!

The second problem is a bigger challenge than the first. Often people are in love with fried fatty foods and dedicated to machismo. That frequently precludes eating a "sissy" vegetarian / vegan diet!

I might be wrong, but just closing the "bad food" places and clearing the store shelves of all the toxic crap, and replacing with lentils and wild greens is NOT going to make you popular! Be prepared to be hated and fought if you try and push that agenda!

[wookie72]

79. To be brutally fair..

I've seen some overweight vegetarians. Vegans do tend to be skinny, but vegetarians come in all shapes and sizes.

[chervilant]

90. Well,

obviously it was remarkable to me how closely these three resemble one another, especially with their chubby cheeks.

[LanternWaste]

71. Well, yes as a matter of fact...

"Chubby cheeks turn someone into a RWer?..."

Well, yes as a matter of fact...

And web-footed toes turns a person into a libertarian. Large earlobes are indicative of an Apple user, while a freckled face illustrates someone who digs sitar music.

I guess you never received the memo.

[Chulanowa]

43. You know the bong water isn't for curing the cotton mouth, right?

[Phil The Cat]

52. Not by itself, no!

Tastes WAY too nasty! :puke:

That's why you use it to make Kool Aid!

:hippie:

[chervilant]

88. OMG!!

My comment was about the chubby cheeks of these three men, which I had never seen lined up in this way until today. They are remarkably--eerily--similar. Frankly, fat prejudice is a far cry from the intent of my observation.

Are you fat, Phil? Is that why you're hyper-sensitive about my comment? For your information, I am fat. Being so does not make me lazy or lacking in self control, nor does it preclude me making a comment about a physical attribute that the three men in question have in common--just because I found it remarkable.

Sigh...

[Deep13]

34. Awright! I have a special salute for these honest men!

[CLANG]

46. If we could only kick these fuckers out of the country

It would probably have an immediate calming effect.

[Enthusiast]

107. Genuine pigs.

That is all.

[Deep13]

18. Thanks, Republican brown-shirts!

Want to create an "issue" out of thin air? Feel free to pick on a religious minority!

[howaboutme]

19. But do you think 10 years of neocon propaganda

may have contributed too? These are the people that hoodwinked the right wingers imho.

Their goal has always been to divide and focus anger on groups of people to justify their wars and our sacrifice. There is a steady stream of propaganda that comes from the neocons in government by way of the media. I'm not claiming that radical Muslims aren't a real threat, but the neocons have built and hyped that threat and we are oddly not debating the potential causes and the real source of the anger.

[AllTooEasy]

22. "but they brought this on themselves, blah, blah, blah"...

I can predict their excuses now.

[pinboy3niner]

81. That meme has already appeared here in the last couple days...

...regarding the ugliness, bigotry and hate displayed in the weekend protests. The poster's implication was that Imam Rauf should have known that would occur, and was himself to blame for not abandoning or changing his plans for Park51!

Looks like blaming the victim is back in vogue. I'd advise you to keep your eyes open if that were not so obviously unnecessary from your perceptive post. Plus, you can spot that wingnut crap from a mile away when it rears its ugly head here.

:hi:

[bowens43]

25. This is exactly what hate crimes are for ....

hope this idiot gets put away fro life.

[dsharp88]

26. No charges have been filed???

What the hell do you have to do to get charges filed?

[Demit]

27. If you had read the second link—

'...Enright has been charged with "attempted murder two as a hate crime, assault with a weapon as a hate crime, aggravated harassment second degree because of race and religion, and criminal possession of a weapon."

The Associated Press reports that Enright is expected to appear in court today. ...'

[CLANG]

47. I like orange marmalade on my toast!

[Deep13]

33. It's a felony. It usually takes the DA a few days to get an indictment. nt

[Enthusiast]

108. Really! nt

[Jefferson23]

29. This is exactly what so many of us were afraid of.

Thanks to all out there calling for SENSITIVITY to your baseless fears and bigotry.

[Vehl]

35. I see that the Nazi party forming .nt

[NICO9000]

38. Only 21? How do you get that hate-filled so young?

He was probably 12 or 13 when 9/11 happened. Wonder if his parents drilled hating the "other" into him all those years? He probably should have just joined the army where his killing instincts would be sanctioned by our government.

Sick and scary shit. There really is a pseudo-Nazi thing stirring in this country.

[valerief]

39. Fox must be soooo proud. nt

[CLANG]

40. HATE CRIME!! Let the idiot ROT in prison.

This is what the right-wingers are fomenting. It is truly sick...

[lakers4life24]

42. Betcha $20 Faux News won't even touch this story

They'll go on merrily continue to Bash Obama instead. Republiscum and Conservapricks will say that the Stabber was just a Dem Plant.

F You Republiscum!

[Critters2]

70. That's a safe bet! nt

[KansDem]

89. FOX News will report that this Muslim attacked a strapping young American...

...just home from Iraq and attempted to knock the knife he was whittling with out of his hand using his face and throat.

[williesgirl]

48. This asshole is a poster boy for jihad recruitment world-wide. rec'd

[jefferson_dem]

50. AP/WaPo picks up the story.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/25/AR2010082503949.html?hpid=topnews

[savalez]

51. There are some interesting findings by the Village Voice

DU Member Progressive_In_NC posted this link in another thread.

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2010/08/was_the_muslim.php

[brendan120678]

53. Yes, I was just reading that myself...

very interesting.

So who/what is this guy? Even with all of that information, it's tough to get a clear answer.

[wookie72]

80. So the official story is going to be

"Left-wing Peace Nut Stabs Cabbie."

[Political_Junkie]

59. This is just awful!

n/t

[crim son]

60. Revulsion.

That's my response to this incident and to the hatemongers out there who are cheerleading the lunatic fringe into violent action. 9/11 did a number on us, but the propaganda from the Bush years did worse. People have lost their sense of right and wrong and it doesn't bode well.

[ck4829]

61. Hope he'll be OK, and bravo to him for locking the monster in the back

He probably would have struck again.

[Lightning Count]

62. A group that promotes interfaith dialogue says one of its volunteers? (pic of the guy too)

It's not working.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/25/AR2010082503949.html?hpid=topnews

[Alameda]

67. NYC taxis have a barrier between the passenger & driver

it must have been open at the time. I had a number of close friends who were cab drivers, and am pretty familiar with how they are.

Did you see this:

"His lawyer, Jason Martin, says Enright was a senior in college at the School of Visual Arts, lives with his parents in suburban Brewster and has done volunteer work overseas, including in Afghanistan." ?

I wonder what kind of volunteer work he was doing?

[Lightning Count]

69. The whole thing is bizarre. nt

[rayofreason]

92. Volunteer work - kind of ironic, no?

Update, 5:03 p.m. | The man charged with the anti-Muslim slashing and stabbing of a cabdriver Tuesday is a volunteer with a nonprofit organization that works to promote cross-cultural understanding and is working on a film about Marines’ experiences in Afghanistan.

The man, Michael Enright, 21, volunteers for Intersections International, a group “dedicated to justice, reconciliation and peace across lines of faith, culture, ideology, race, class, national borders and other boundaries that divide humanity.” Mr. Enright works with the group’s “veteran-civilian dialogue program.”

Intersections International released a statement this month supporting the construction of an Islamic cultural center a few blocks from ground zero.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/cabbie-attacked/

[Judi Lynn]

72. Found a photo of the attacker, Michael Enright:

More on Enright from the link, with the photo:

~snip~
Enright, a 2007 graduate of Brewster High School and an aspiring filmmaker, recently returned from Afghanistan, where he filmed Marines as part of a project for the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, where he is a student. In Afghanistan, he was embedded with a Marines Corps crew that included his fellow Brewster High graduate, Cpl. Alex Eckner.

Enright was highly intoxicated when he hailed the cab at East 24th St., and 2nd Avenue, the police spokesman said. Once inside the cab, Enright asked Sharif whether Sharif was Muslim. When Sharif responded yes, Enright stabbed him several times with some type of utility knife.

According to the statement from the Taxi Workers Alliance, Enright's conversation with Sharif started out friendly, with Enright asking the cabbie where he was from, how long he had been in America, if he was Muslim and if he was observing Ramadan.
Enright then went silent before suddenly cursing and screaming, the statement said.

He then shouted "`Assalamu Alaikum,' common among Muslims as a wish for peace, before pulling out the knife and slashing Sharif across the neck and stabbing several more times as Sharif tried to knock it out of Enright's hands, the alliance said.
Enright was charged with attempted second-degree murder as a hate crime, first-degree assault, felonies, aggravated harassment and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, misdemeanors. He is awaiting arraignment.

Enright also worked with Intersections International, a Manhattan-based, multifaith and multicultural effort that seeks to promote justice and peace. Messages left with the School of Visual Arts and Intersections International were not immediately returned.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20100825/NEWS04/8250362/-1/newsfront/Michael-Enright-of-Southeast-charged-with-stabbing-NYC-cab-driver-for-being-Muslim

~~~~~
Muslim cab driver slashed by boozed-up bigot just back from filming Marines in Afghanistan: cops
BY Jonathan Lemire and John Lauinger
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Originally Published:Wednesday, August 25th 2010, 11:52 AM
Updated: Wednesday, August 25th 2010, 3:10 PM

A boozed-up bigot who just returned from filming U.S. Marines in Afghanistan used a pocket knife to slash a cabbie - just because the driver was Muslim, police said Wednesday.

Michael Enright, 21, of upstate New York, was charged with felony attempted murder as a hate crime - among other crimes - after the sick attack on Ahmed Sharif, 43, Tuesday night.

Enright was a volunteer for Intersections International, a Manhattan-based group that promotes peace among different religions. A spokesman confirmed he was filming for the group, which recently threw its support behind the controversial Park 51 mosque project near Ground Zero.

Sharif, who was slashed in the throat, face and shoulder, said he believes the vicious attack may have been rooted in the anti-Muslim fervor that has been inflamed by the mosque debate.

"I feel very sad," Sharif said, according to a statement released by the Taxi Workers Alliance.

"I never feel this hopeless and insecure before," added the Queens father of four who has been in the United States for 25 years. "Right now, the public sentiment is very serious (because of the Ground Zero mosque debate). All \ drivers should be more careful."

Enright, of Brewster, was "very, very intoxicated" when he hailed Sharif's yellow cab at Second Ave. and E. 24th St. shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday, a police source said.

More:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/25/2010-08-25_muslim_cab_driver_slashed_by_upstate_new_york_man_because_of_his_religion_police.html

[wookie72]

75. I've never read the Daily News

Are ALL its stories written like the National Inquirer?

I'd say it's even money that the conservatives play up the fact that he belongs to a peace group.

[Judi Lynn]

82. Haven't seen enough of it to determine. The link is a result of a search on the perp's name. n/t

[d_b]

83. kid's a fuckin twerp

http://www.thelmagazine.com/TheMeasure/archives/2010/08/25/meet-michael-enright-photo-essay

love to have two minutes alone with him.

[deacon_sephiroth]

100. AGREED

follow the link in that post.... read the comment on that page.... know that I COMPLETELY AGREE

[Arrowhead2k1]

84. And so it begins.

Fox News has blood on their hands...

[Stuart G]

85. Do you suppose that Fox News will say the hate was caused by

Fox News or Obama..:sarcasm:

[lakers4life24]

86. They'll sya he was just a PLANT by the Democrats

to make the Republiscum and the Conservapricks look bad

[ProgressiveEconomist]

91. Wonder when the media will get around to asking Rick Lazio about this, and WHAT

his carefully-crafted statement will be. In his campaign for the Republican nomination for Governor, Lazio IMO has become the highest-profile politician to align his campaign entirely with the anti-Muslim hysteria in NYC--Chris Matthews recently nailed him on it (see http://www.observer.com/2010/matthews-lazio-mosque-youre-campaigning ).

[roxiejules]

94. Enright had ”recently returned from Afghanistan.”

Isn't it possible that he is traumatized rather than hateful?


Friend's film tells Marine's Afghan story

http://m.lohud.com/detail.jsp?key=343865&rc=wc&full=1

Doing a buddy justice

It is that shift from teenager or twentysomething to warrior and back that Enright wants to capture in a film he is calling "Home of the Brave." The production is Enright's senior thesis as well as his foray into the film-festival world. In the end, he said, he simply wants to tell the story of Eckner and his fellow Marines.

"During his (Eckner's) last deployment, I realized there's never been an introspective look into what it's like being an 18-, 19-, 20-year-old soldier," Enright said. "They grow up really fast, and also they're still young and youthful. I thought that could be a really interesting story. Plus, he's my buddy. I wanted to do him justice."


"I know that while you were here, you had an opportunity to glimpse into their world and see just a sample of the dedication and sacrifice needed to prepare for arduous missions, to then be transported to some of the most dangerous places on Earth," Marine Maj. A.F. Crouch, MCBH's public affairs officer, wrote to Enright after his Hawaii visit.

[lunasun]

99. he seems intellegent( not a RW stooge) but could be schizo or something else too

[Enrique]

113. PTSD possibly

I read somewhere else his friends said he seemed changed after his Afghanistan trip.

[Name removed]

101. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[totodeinhere]

102. It was not a right winger who did this. It was a man who is affiliated with an organization

that has publicly supported the proposed mosque near Ground Zero.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703632304575452082357090808.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

A lot of posters to this thread had a knee jerk reaction and blamed this on teabagers, Fox news, or whatever without taking the time to get to the facts. Yes, I know it's easy to jump to conclusions. I have been guilty of that myself. But if we start blaming everything on the right wing without justification then we lose credibility and set back our cause.

[Turborama]

103. On his Facebook page, Mr. Enright says that he has worked as a "cinematographer/photographer"

From http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703632304575452082357090808.html?mod=googlenews_wsj">the WSJ link you provided:

On his Facebook page, Mr. Enright says that he has worked as a "cinematographer/photographer" with Intersections International since last August.

=snip=

Mr. Enright was featured in an article in May in the Journal News about his attempts to make a documentary film he proposed to call "Home of the Brave" about his best friend's tour of duty with the Marines in the Afghan war. He subsequently was embedded with his friend's unit in Afghanistan.

So, maybe he was just using Intersections International as a way to get embedded with his buddy's unit so he could make his documentary?

Using arts immersion, social marketing, intentional dialogue and other innovative methods, Intersections' work includes projects that promote pluralism in emerging democracies, eradicate ignorance regarding Islam, nurture global peacemakers, dismantle systemic discrimination against the LGBT community and initiate conversation among disparate groups to develop new ways of problem solving for some of society's most intractable issues.

http://www.intersectionsinternational.org/about-us

[Enthusiast]

105. The right won't be satisfied

until blood runs in the streets. Know why? Because they lost the elections in 2006 and 2008. SORE LOSERS!

[defendandprotect]

111. Saw this individual -- boy? -- briefly on TV last night ... looked dazed ..

Wondering if they'll turn up any religious/cultlike connections?

Presume this was planned . . . ???

[NoSheep]

112. Is that guy considered a terrorist? Enemy combatant?

[nalnn]

115. Very Strange

This story is quite strange. It appears that the org the suspect was a volunteer for supports the building of the mosque near Ground Zero. The victim, who was attacked after identifying himself as muslim, is quoted as being against the construction of the mosque near Ground Zero. NYTimes article