A 71-year-old man named Joseph Czuba has been charged with murder and hate crimes after allegedly stabbing two individuals because they were Muslim in Plainfield, Illinois.
The victims were a six-year-old boy who tragically died and a 32-year-old woman.
They were targeted due to the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, according to the Will County Sheriff’s Office.
President Biden expressed his dismay at the attack on the Palestinian-American mother and her son, condemning it as a heinous act of hate that goes against American values of religious freedom and tolerance.
He called for unity in rejecting Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry and hatred.
Joseph Czuba faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, hate crimes, and aggravated battery.
The incident unfolded when the woman, who was a tenant of Czuba, called the authorities, reporting that she being attacked by her landlord at her residence in Plainfield.
When the police arrived, they found both the woman and the boy with multiple stab wounds, and despite their efforts, the boy did not survive.
The woman, who sustained serious injuries, is expected to recover.
The weapon used in the attack was described as a 12-inch serrated military-style knife with a seven-inch blade.
Czuba was found at the scene and was subsequently hospitalized and questioned by detectives.
It was determined that the victims were targeted because of their Muslim identity and the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and Israel.
The victims’ names were not publicly released, but a rights group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), identified the boy as Wadea al-Fayoume and his mother as Hanaan Shahin.
Wadea was born in the United States, and his mother immigrated from the West Bank 12 years ago.
CAIR-Chicago’s executive director, Ahmed Rehab, expressed sorrow over the tragic loss of Wadea, who had recently celebrated his birthday.
He pointed out that the attack reflected a climate of hate and dehumanization, partly influenced by media coverage and statements from elected officials, and cautioned against repeating the mistakes made during the post-9/11 period, when innocent members of a particular community were unfairly targeted.
The background to the incident includes the recent violence in Israel, with attacks by Hamas resulting in casualties among civilians and soldiers, as well as Israeli bombings in Gaza causing significant loss of life and destruction.
Source-BBC
