By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 12, 2007
Filed at 6:13 a.m. ET
NEW YORK (AP) -- A suspected bias attack on four Jewish subway riders has resulted in a friendship between the Jewish victims and the Muslim college student who came to their aid.
Walter Adler is calling Hassan Askari a hero for intervening when Adler and three friends were assaulted on a subway train in lower Manhattan on Friday night.
The altercation erupted when Adler and his friends said ''Happy Chanukah'' to a group yelling ''Merry Christmas'' on the Brooklyn-bound train.
The 20-year-old Askari said he tried to fight off the 10 attackers, giving Adler a chance to summon police by pulling an emergency brake.
''I did what I thought was right,'' said Askari, a student at Berkeley College in Manhattan, who was allegedly punched and beaten. ''I did the best that I could to help.''
Eight men and two women have pleaded not guilty to assault, menacing and other charges in the case. Prosecutors have said the charges could be upgraded to hate crimes.
''That a random Muslim kid helped some Jewish kids, that's what's positive about New York,'' said Adler, 23, who suffered a broken nose and a lip wound.
--------------
Thought this was interesting as it involved Jews, Christians and a Muslim. Not very christian like.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 12, 2007
Filed at 6:13 a.m. ET
NEW YORK (AP) -- A suspected bias attack on four Jewish subway riders has resulted in a friendship between the Jewish victims and the Muslim college student who came to their aid.
Walter Adler is calling Hassan Askari a hero for intervening when Adler and three friends were assaulted on a subway train in lower Manhattan on Friday night.
The altercation erupted when Adler and his friends said ''Happy Chanukah'' to a group yelling ''Merry Christmas'' on the Brooklyn-bound train.
The 20-year-old Askari said he tried to fight off the 10 attackers, giving Adler a chance to summon police by pulling an emergency brake.
''I did what I thought was right,'' said Askari, a student at Berkeley College in Manhattan, who was allegedly punched and beaten. ''I did the best that I could to help.''
Eight men and two women have pleaded not guilty to assault, menacing and other charges in the case. Prosecutors have said the charges could be upgraded to hate crimes.
''That a random Muslim kid helped some Jewish kids, that's what's positive about New York,'' said Adler, 23, who suffered a broken nose and a lip wound.
--------------
Thought this was interesting as it involved Jews, Christians and a Muslim. Not very christian like.
aww... i hope they have a quick recovery. that kind of behavior is absolutely outrageous, i was concerned both by the number and by the fact men and women were doing it... i expect that sort of thing from drunk frat boys maybe, but that's outrageous.
Its good to see Jews and Muslims helping eachother rather than fighting mindlessly like on some other 'discussion' (more like fightclubs, really) boards I've seen. More people need to have the attitude that the boy in the train had. It is a sunnah to help people in need...
JEWS' SUBWAY HERO A MUSLIM
SAVES 'HANUKKAH' RIDERS FROM THUGS
By JENNIFER FERMINO, ERIKA MARTINEZ and PETER COX
December 12, 2007 -- A Brooklyn man whose "Happy Hanukkah" greeting landed him in the hospital said he was saved from a gang of Jew-bashing goons aboard a packed Q train by a total stranger - a modest Muslim from Bangladesh.
PHOTOS: See pictures of the alleged suspects.
Walter Adler was touched that Hassan Askari jumped to his aid while a group of thugs allegedly pummeled and taunted him and his three friends. So Adler has invited his new friend over to celebrate the Festival of Lights.
The two new pals - Adler, 23, with a broken nose and a fat lip, and Askari, 20, with two black eyes - broke bread together and laughed off the bruises the night after the fisticuffs.
"A random Muslim guy jumped in and helped a Jewish guy on Hanukkah - that's a miracle," said Adler, an honors student at Hunter College.
"He's basically a hero. Hassan jumped in to help us."
But Askari, who is studying to be an accountant, shrugged off the praise.
"I just did what I had to do," he recalled. "My parents raised me that way."
Ten people were arrested in the underground attack on Friday night - including two men who have been arrested for race crimes before.
None of the suspects had been charged with a hate crime in the Q train attack as of last night, but the Brooklyn DA's Civil Rights Bureau is handling the case.
It all began when Adler, his girlfriend, Maria Parsheva, and two other pals boarded the subway at Canal Street bound for Brooklyn and someone in another group wished them "Merry Christmas."
Adler and his pal Angelica Krischanovich responded: "Happy Hanukkah."
Apparently, those were fighting words.
"They just came at us so fast. The first thing that came into my mind was, 'Yeah, this is going to be violent,' " said Parsheva, 20.
One of the group immediately hiked up his sleeve to reveal a tattoo of Christ.
"He said, 'Happy Hanukkah, that's when the Jews killed Jesus,' " said Adler.
The group of about 14 men and women then allegedly began taunting Adler and his pals as "dirty Jews" and "Jew *****es."
Amid a huge scrum, Askari jumped in.
"I'm bleeding all over the place, there's lots of people, they're fighting with Hassan still, and I'm like, why isn't anyone else doing anything?" Adler said.
He pulled the emergency brake right before entering the DeKalb Avenue station.
Police came aboard and arrested 10 people, charging six with assault and four with unlawful assembly.
One of those collared straphangers yesterday denied making anti-Semitic taunts and said his mother is Jewish.
Joseph Jirovec, 19 - the son of a city firefighter who is currently serving in Iraq - has pleaded guilty to a 2005 bias crime against blacks.
"We are not racist against Jewish people. That whole hate-crime thing is ridiculous," the Brooklyn man said.
He claims Adler's group was drunk and taunted his group, and one yelled, "We killed Jesus."
Jirovec will soon begin serving six months for his role in the attack against four men in Gerritsen Beach.
"I'm trying to stay out of trouble," he said. "When I get out, I want to go into the military."
The Good Samaritan who tried to stop the Christmas-versus-Chanukah subway beating has two black eyes and a sore nose - but no regrets.
"I did what I thought was right," said Hassan Askari, 20. "I did the best that I could to help."
Askari, a Bangladeshi Muslim studying at Berkeley College in Manhattan, was on a Q train headed to Brooklyn late Friday when he came to the aid of young women confronted by a group of 10 thugs.
Fearful for the women's safety, he pushed one of the men away - and was then pounced on by the group, he said.
"They grabbed me and punched and beat me up," Askari said.
"They punched me first. I didn't get a chance to punch him back."
Askari, all of 5-feet-7 and 140 pounds, said he was left with a swollen face.
He said he didn't go to the doctor because he's too busy working two waiter jobs and doesn't have the money for medical care.
He was mystified as to why the men became so outraged when the women and their male friends wished them a "Happy Chanukah" while they were yelling "Merry Christmas" on the train car.
"I don't understand," he said. "They were just being nice."
One of the Jewish victims, Walter Adler, expressed amazement that Askari took the risk to try to help.
"That a random Muslim kid helped some Jewish kids, that's what's positive about New York," said Adler, 23, who suffered a broken nose and required four stitches to close a lip wound.
Askari's interference allowed Adler to pull the emergency brake, which alerted police to trouble on the train.
We as muslims need to show our goodness no matter who does it.. since we've got Islam haters from all ends anyway.
So yeah, alhamdulillah this is a good first step.. if we support the community, they will support us insha Allah.
AssalamuAlaykum
No that as just an observation Akhee, it doesnt make a difference at all. Things like these portray Islam in a positive light...show that there may be a few 'rotten apples' but not all are like that, shows that islam really does mean peace...Teaches people to look at the positives in islam rather than the negatives they think they can see.
Respect to the Guy. He is a credit to his religion.
Occupation: The term of control of a territory by foreign military forces: Iraq 2003-2005 Liberation:when something or someone is freed: Operation Telic 2003
I created a thread with the same story thats still pending mod approval.
This was front page on the New York Post. The young muslim student did a very courageous and righteous deed. Its nice to finally see some positive muslim attention in the media. May Allah reward him tremendously.
Hey there! Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.
When you create an account, we remember exactly what you've read, so you always come right back where you left off. You also get notifications, here and via email, whenever new posts are made. And you can like posts and share your thoughts. Sign Up
Re: Jews and a Muslim vs "Christians"
masha Allah
Hide
Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks