Watervliet, NY (WRGB) — An 18-year-old Afghan national arrested in Watervliet in connection with what police described as a targeted, “ethnicity-motivated” assault that investigators are treating as a hate crime is now out on bail.
The Watervliet Police Department said Hossein Haidar forced his way into a neighbor’s home and violently dragged the victim out during an attack on March 1, 2026. Police said the assault was directed at the victim’s Pakistani nationality and ethnic background and followed a heated argument the previous day about ongoing political and military tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. During the assault, police said Haidar made explicit derogatory statements about the victim’s Pakistani nationality and ethnic background.
Police said Haidar was identified as the attacker within a short time and was taken into custody…