U.S Man Charged With Hate Crime For Killing A Muslim Boy

A man has been charged with murder and hate crimes after allegedly stabbing a six-year-old boy to death because he was Muslim.

Joseph Czuba, 71, is accused of killing Wadea Al-Fayoume and seriously wounding his mother in Plainfield, Illinois.

The landlord allegedly targeted the pair, who were his tenants, because of their religion.

President Joe Biden said he was “sickened” by Saturday’s attack.

“This horrific act of hate has no place in America, and stands against our fundamental values: freedom from fear for how we pray, what we believe, and who we are,” he said.

The 32-year-old woman was attacked by her landlord, who had a military-style knife with a seven inch (18cm) blade, and ran to the bathroom to call the police, Authorities said.

She suffered more than a dozen stab wounds but is expected to survive.

Her son, named as six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume, was stabbed more than two dozen times in the attack and later died in hospital.

He celebrated his birthday just a few weeks ago. “He loved his family, his friends. He loved soccer, he loved basketball,” the Executive Director of the Chicago Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Ahmed Rehab, said.

When officers arrived at the scene, about 40 miles (64km) South-West of Chicago, they found Mr Czuba sat on the ground outside the property with a cut to his face.

The victims, who were Palestinian-Americans, were found in a bedroom.

Mr Czuba was taken to hospital for treatment before being questioned by detectives.

He was later charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, hate crimes and aggravated battery.

While he did not make a statement, detectives said they were able to determine a potential motive.

“Both victims in this brutal attack were targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim,” the Will County Sheriff’s ffice said.

The US Justice Department has also opened a Federal hate crime investigation into the attack.

BBC