American man accused of slashing New York cabbie's throat for being Muslim

New York, Aug 26(ANI): An American man has been accused of brutally attacking a New York City taxi cab driver with a knife after asking him if he was Muslim, police has said.

The accused, Michael Enright, works for an Internet media company and had recently spent time with a combat unit in Afghanistan filming military exercises.

Police said that the attack took place at about 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

According to The New York Post, Enright and the yellow cab driver, Sharif Ahmed, were engaged in a conversation, during which Enright asked the driver: "Are you Muslim?"

The driver told police that when he answered yes, Enright allegedly pulled out a silver-colored folding knife, and slashed him in the throat, arm and face through the taxicab partition.

Ahmed was briefly able to lock the man inside the cab, but Enright was able to open the door and run off.

Enright was later arrested by a police officer on patrol.

"I [told the cop]: He stabbed me because I'm Muslim," Ahmed said.

The knife used in the attack was not found.

Ahmed was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he received stitches for his wounds and was released.

"I've lived in this country for 35 years. I've worked hard. This country has helped me a lot. Before yesterday, I never felt like I didn't belong here," the newspaper quoted Ahmed, as saying.

Enright, who was intoxicated at the time of his arrest, was also taken to Bellevue Hospital for evaluation, police said.

The 21-year-old has been charged with attempted murder as a hate crime, assault as a hate crime and weapons possession. (ANI)