Landlord who ‘killed Palestinian-American boy while upset over war’ appears defiant in court
The man accused of stabbing and killing a Palestinian-American boy in an Illinois suburb appeared in court on Monday to plead not guilty on murder charges.
Joseph Czuba, 71, pleaded not guilty to charges related to the horrific murder of 6-year-old Wadea al-Fayoume on October 14.
According to prosecutors, Czuba attacked the child and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, stabbing the boy 26 times with a 7-inch serrated military-style knife.
Both the mother and son were Czuba’s tenants at a rental property he owned in Plainfield Township.
Czuba appeared gaunt and stone-faced when he appeared for his arraignment on Monday. He did not speak, and an attorney entered his ‘not guilty’ plea.
Judge David Carlson ruled that he will remain in jail until his trial begins on January 8. Prosecutors said he remains a ‘threat to the safety of the community.’
Al-Fayoume’s father, Oday al-Fayoume, appeared alongside other family members at the hearing on Monday. They did not comment on the proceedings.
Investigators at the Will County Sheriff’s Office said Czuba targeted the mother and son ‘due to them being Muslim and the on-going Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis.’
Czuba was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of hate crime and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
The Justice Department also opened a federal hate crime investigation into the fatal stabbing.
‘This incident cannot help but further raise the fears of Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities in our country with regard to hate-fueled violence,’ Attorney General Merrick Garland said.
‘No one in the United States of America should have to live in fear of violence because of how they worship or where they or their family come from.’
Meanwhile, a funeral was held for al-Fayoume at the Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview, Illinois.
Shahin, who survived the attack, asked the public to ‘pray for peace.’ She was released from the hospital last week.
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