Marine reservist attacked Greek priest he mistook for terrorist

[G_j]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/article1050707.ece

Tampa police: Marine reservist attacked Greek priest he mistook for terrorist

By Alexandra Zayas and Demorris A. Lee, Times Staff Writers
In Print: Wednesday, November 11, 2009


TAMPA — Marine reservist Jasen Bruce was getting clothes out of the trunk of his car Monday evening when a bearded man in a robe approached him.

That man, a Greek Orthodox priest named Father Alexios Marakis, speaks little English and was lost, police said. He wanted directions.

What the priest got instead, police say, was a tire iron to the head. Then he was chased for three blocks and pinned to the ground — as the Marine kept a 911 operator on the phone, saying he had captured a terrorist.

Police say Bruce offered several reasons to explain his actions:

The man tried to rob him.

The man grabbed Bruce's crotch and made an overt sexual advance in perfect English.

The man yelled "Allahu Akbar," Arabic for "God is great," the same words some witnesses said the Fort Hood shooting suspect uttered last week.

"That's what they tell you right before they blow you up," police say Bruce told them.

..more..

[groovedaddy]

1. This "jar head" really is one. n.t

[mmonk]

2. Yep, this is the country we have now.

I knew the attacks would start on innocent people after the Hasan murders in a society that has been governed by fear instead of reason for too long. Watch out for Sikhs being attacked next because they wear turbans. I couldn't help but sadly laugh at one of the responses, "First name: RED Last name: NECK Welcome to America"

[arcadian]

3. Robes and a beard make you a terrorist?

[sinkingfeeling]

5. I've always said that if Jesus returned today, he'd be killed by the 'christians'.

[drdtroit]

4. I hope Mr. Bruce is safely away in a padded cell! n/t

[sinkingfeeling]

6. No, he's out on a $7500 bail. And not charged with attempted murder.

[G_j]

7. that is pretty shocking

after attacking someone with a tire-iron.

:shrug: