Daijiworld Media Network - New York

New York, Jul 25: A 51-year-old man accused of stabbing a Jewish man and an Asian man in separate attacks on Manhattan's Upper West Side has been charged with multiple hate crime offences, officials said.

The accused, identified as Raul Morales, was arraigned on Friday on two counts of attempted second-degree murder as a hate crime, along with one count each of first-degree assault as a hate crime, second-degree assault as a hate crime and attempted first-degree assault as a hate crime.

A judge remanded Morales in custody without bail.

According to police, the attacks took place on Thursday afternoon a few blocks apart near Central Park. Witnesses told investigators that Morales shouted "Allahu Akbar" during both assaults.

Prosecutors alleged that Morales first approached a 57-year-old Asian man from behind at around 1.31 pm, shouted the slogan and stabbed him in the back with a knife.

He then walked a short distance and allegedly attacked a Jewish man wearing a kippah after he had left a synagogue, stabbing him in the chest with a screwdriver.

Both victims survived the attacks and are expected to recover, police said.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the assaults, describing them as horrific and welcoming the filing of hate crime charges.

"I am thankful that he is being held accountable and hope he will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," the mayor said, adding that every New Yorker deserves to feel safe regardless of religion or race.

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine identified the victims as Chok Sung and Moshe Yezhak Grunhaus. He said Grunhaus had just left The Jewish Center after attending a service marking Tisha B'av, a solemn day commemorating the destruction of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem and other tragedies in Jewish history.

The Asian victim was rushed to hospital with the knife still lodged in his back and underwent surgery on Friday, prosecutors said.

Investigators also cited witness statements claiming Morales was seen near a synagogue before the attacks shouting "justice for Islam".

Police said there is no evidence that either victim knew Morales or each other.

Morales is scheduled to appear in court again on July 30.