A U.S. military official said Friday there were no signs the freelance journalist accused of slashing a cab driver in Manhattan was not be able to cope with his prior experience of living with troops in Afghanistan.

Michael Enright, 21, was embedded with a Marine unit in southern Afghanistan for five days in May.

U.S. Army Colonel Hans Bush said there was nothing in Enright's application that indicated he wasn't up to facing military operations.

Bush would not specify which missions Enright witnessed.

Police said Enright attacked cab driver Ahmed Sharif on Tuesday night after being picked up in Manhattan.

Authorities said Enright asked if Sharif was Muslim, and then slashed the driver across the throat, arm and lip with a pocket knife.

Authorities also said he told the driver, "Consider this a checkpoint."

Police said journals kept by Enright did not show any evidence of a motive.

Enright was moved from Rikers Island to the psychiatric ward at Bellevue Hospital, but police said it was not clear why.

The alleged stabber is due back in court next week on a number of hate crime charges, including attempted murder and assault.