Chicago area landlord charged with hate crime in killing of 6-year-old Palestinian boy, stabbing of mom
CHICAGO (CBS) — A Plainfield Township landlord is now accused of killing a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy and stabbing that boy’s mother because they were Muslim.
Joseph Czuba, 71, now faces several charges, including two hate crime counts. According to the Will County Sheriff’s Office, the two victims were targeted because they are Muslim and because of the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and Israel.
The Justice Department also has opened an investigation into the case.
The quiet neighborhood in Plainfield has now been rocked by the horrific act. The boy’s mother, 32-year-old Hanaan Shahin, told detectives Czuba, her landlord, attacked her with a knife as she ran to the bathroom to call 911 on Saturday morning
The Will County Sheriff’s Office said Czuba stabbed 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume 26 times. His mother had more than a dozen stab wounds.
The Council on American Islamic Relations said the boy just celebrated his birthday a couple of weeks ago.
“He was a lovely boy who loved his family, his friends. He loved soccer. He loved basketball. And he paid the price for the atmosphere of hate,” CAIR Executive Director Ahmed Rehab said of how the boy’s father described him.
Neighbors like Eva Case saw the crime scene Saturday night. The gruesome details behind the stabbing left her in awe.
“I don’t care what the situation was,” she said. “Don’t take it out on somebody that innocent of life.”
Neighbors who live near Czuba said the mother and son moved into the home four years ago. Neighbors said they kept to themselves.
As for Czuba, neighbors called him eccentric, and said they were concerned at times about signs in front of the house. Some were political and religious.
“I see the man that lived there outside gardening all the time, every week. Every time I come home, he’s outside,” Case said.
CAIR said it just issued a release a few days ago warning about creating anti-Muslim atmospheres where someone could get hurt.
“He has no clue about these larger issues happening in the world, but he was made to pay for it,” Rehab said of Wadea.
Family members said, although the father was at Saturday’s press conference, he was too in shock to speak. CAIR said it is disgusted not only by this horrible act but also by the exaggeration of Jihad Day. They said they believe if there were no anti-Muslim narrative, this would not have happened.
“This crime wakes up a fear inside us,” said the boy’s uncle, Yousef Hannon. “We are not animals, we are humans we want people to see us as humans.”
Both Muslim and Jewish organizations have condemned the horrific attack, including the Chicago Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and the Anti-Defamation League.
