Slashed Muslim cabbie recovers, meets New York mayor (Roundup)

Aug 26, 2010, 21:02 GMT

New York - A Muslim taxi driver who was knifed because of his religion met with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg Thursday while other government officials warned of further attacks against Muslims because of the dispute over the construction of a mosque near Ground Zero.

Bloomberg, who met with cab driver Ahmed Sharif in City Hall, called the attack a disgrace.

'No matter how wonderful this country is, no matter how wonderful this city is, there's always somebody that acts disgracefully,' news reports of the meeting quoted Bloomberg as saying.

'It's kind of hard to understand why,' Bloomberg said. 'Maybe they don't understand our values and how lucky we are to live here. But nevertheless, thank God nothing worse happened and our police commissioner, you should know, is on top of it.'

The mayor gave Sharif, who was accompanied by his three children, gift bags, including 'I Love New York' T-shirts and pencils.

Sharif told local television networks that 21-year-old Michael Enright attacked him through a partition inside the taxi after Sharif said he is a Muslim. New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly reported that Enright said, 'Assalamu alaikum (Arabic for 'peace be unto you'),' before he stabbed the driver.

'I saw on his face so much hate and so upset, the anger at me, because of my religion, and it's a shock to me,' Sharif told the local NY1 television network, showing a cut on his right arm, which was stitched.

The attack on Tuesday also shocked New York, which already has been embroiled over the controversial plans by a Muslim group to build an Islamic cultural centre just two blocks from the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

New York Governor David Paterson said the attack was being investigated. He said Enright probably was mentally ill and warned that such incidents could happen again.

Enright was arraigned Wednesday in Manhattan Criminal Court, accused of attempted murder and hate crimes on the Muslim taxi driver, New York authorities said. Enright did not enter a plea and is due back in court on Monday.

Police authorities said Wednesday Enright calmly discussed Islam with the cabbie before slashing him from behind with a utility knife.

Enright faced charges of second-degree attempted murder as a hate crime, first-degree assault as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon. He could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted, and was ordered held without bail.

Prosecutors alleged that the accused waved down a cab driven by Sharif, 43, a Bangladeshi immigrant, on Tuesday night in downtown Manhattan.

After getting in the cab, Enright reportedly discussed cultural and religious issues, asking if Sharif was Muslim, his observance of the current Ramadan month of fasting, and how long he had been in the United States.

Then, Enright told the driver 'consider this a checkpoint,' before lashing out from the back seat with a knife. He slashed at Sharif's throat, as the cabbie turned and suffered further wounds to his face and arms, a prosecutor told the court.

Sharif drove on to find a police officer, who arrested Enright.

Sharif's neck wound was 'open halfway across his throat' and could easily have been fatal, the prosecutor said. 'This is a highly vicious attack on an innocent person based on his religion.'

A law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the New York Times that Enright was 'very drunk' during the incident.

Enright was a film student and recently made a documentary about a US Marine unit operating in Afghanistan, working as a volunteer for Intersections International, a Manhattan-based group that promotes peace among religions.

News reports said officials at Intersections International, which reportedly supports the project for the Islamic centre near Ground Zero, would help Enright with his 'healing process.'