Monday, April 13, 1998; 7:44 p.m. EDT

BANGOR, Maine (AP) -- An Italian tourist booted off a flight for assaulting an attendant who tried to stop him from smoking was sentenced Monday to seven days in jail.

The Newark, N.J.-bound Continental Airlines flight diverted to Bangor, Maine Friday and Ignazio Miliano was removed and arrested after the commotion.

Miliano, of Ribera, Italy, jostled a flight attendant who asked him to stop smoking. He lit up a cigarette in the plane's bathroom.

``My understanding is he put his arm on the stewardess. I suspect they asked him more than once (to stop smoking),'' said Norman Kominsky, his lawyer. ``He was angry that he couldn't smoke.''

After Miliano was kicked off the plane, which originated in Milan, it continued to Newark with his son and about 140 other passengers.

Miliano, 47, pleaded guilty to assault on Monday and was sentenced to jail and fined $1,000. But he still can't get a cigarette -- the jail also has a no-smoking policy.

``It's difficult for him. He doesn't speak English and he doesn't understand anyone at all. They won't let him smoke in jail and he is evidently a very addicted smoker,'' Kominsky said.