Two men accused in subway imam attack hit with hate crime charges

[RamboLiberal]

Source: NY Daily News


Two men accused of attacking a Muslim religious leader in a Manhattan subway station were the targets Thursday of a hate-crimes investigation.

The unidentified imam claimed the two men called him a "terrorist" and yelled ethnic and religious slurs when they assaulted him at the Canal Street station early Wednesday, sources said.

Eddie Crespo, 28, of Staten Island, was charged with third degree assault as a hate crime and two counts of second degree robbery, the Manhattan District Attorney's office said.

Albert Melendez, 30, of Manhattan, is expected to be arraigned later Thursday.






Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/12/09/2010-12-09_two_men_accused_in_subway_imam_attack_hit_with_hate_crime_charges.html

[provis99]

1. Crespo and Melendez? Not exactly Amur'kin names.

sounds like they'd be ripe to be victims of hate crimes themselves