The Illinois landlord who stabbed a six-year-old Muslim boy to death in a heinous hate crime had become paranoid about Israel’s conflict with Hamas, and thought the boy’s Palestinian parents were going to call their friends to ‘come and harm him’, a court heard today.
Joseph Czuba, 71, is charged with murdering six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume in Plainfield, Illinois, on Saturday morning. Wadea was stabbed 26 times and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, was stabbed over a dozen times, after allegedly screaming ‘You Muslims must die!’
The racist attack sickened many, including President Joe Biden. In Brussels, a man claiming to be a member of ISIS shot two people on Monday night to ‘avenge’ Wadea’s death.
Czuba appeared in court today in a red prison jumpsuit with matted hair.
He was denied bail after being arraigned on charges including first degree murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault.
Joseph Czuba, 71, is charged with murdering six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume in Plainfield, Illinois, on Saturday morning
Wadea’s mother, Hanaan Shahin, was stabbed more than a dozen times. She remains in the hospital. The pair are shown together
Wadea was stabbed 26 times and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, was stabbed over a dozen times, after allegedly screaming ‘You Muslims must die!’
The attack took place on Saturday morning in this home in Plainfield, where both lived. Wadea’s family rented a room from Czuba, who also lives at the property
At the hearing, prosecutors described how Czuba had become paranoid about the ‘day of jihad’ that Hamas leaders called for on Friday, October 13th.
When no attacks occurred, his wife says he became even more frightened that one would in the following days.
He withdrew $1,000 in cash from the bank, claiming ‘the grid’ was going to go down, and became increasingly worried as he listened to radio coverage of the war in Israel and Gaza.
His wife told police he thought he was in danger and that Shahin ‘was going to call Palestinian friends to come and harm them.’
The attack happened shortly before noon on Saturday.
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According to the boy’s mother, Czuba – who rented them a room in his home – appeared at the door and first tried to choke her.
The boy and his mother. He has one older sibling who was not harmed in the Saturday attack
Hundreds of mourners gathered at a mosque near the boy’s home on Monday to lay him to rest
Wadea’s father was among mourners. He previously described his son as an ‘angel’
The boy’s father on Sunday. His mother remains in the hospital
Wadea, pictured on his sixth birthday earlier this month, said: ‘I’m fine’ before dying, his parents have revealed
She ran inside, calling 911. He followed with a military-grade, serrated knife that he used to stab Wadea 26 times.
The boy’s mother was also stabbed a dozen times. Police arrived to find Czuba sitting outside the property, upright.
As he made his first court appearance, mourners gathered to lay Wadea to rest. His father, Oday, was among those present.
The ‘day of jihad’ sparked security fears around the country and indeed the world. Every major police force in the US beefed up its resources for the day in anticipation of unrest.
In New York, all protests were peaceful, as were the majority across the US.
In France, police clashed with pro-Palestine protesters, and a teacher was also killed by an assailant who allegedly yelled ‘allahu akbar’.
The backyard of the home where Czuba stabbed the boy and his mother. It is crammed with US flags and other patriotic signs
The cluttered backyard also has umbrellas and Christian sgnage
