Mourners in heavily Palestinian Chicago suburb remember Muslim boy killed as kind, energetic
Family members of Wadea Al Fayoume bring his casket into Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview, Ill., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing the 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Wadea Al Fayoume's father, Oday Al Fayoume, right, and his uncle Mahmoud Yousef mourn at Wadea's grave in LaGrange, Ill., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing the 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Muslim community members mourn Wadea Al Fayoume at his grave in LaGrange, Ill., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing the 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
A Muslim community member shouts into the crowd for Wadea Al Fayoume at Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview, Ill., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing the 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Supporters kneel at the grave of Wadea Al Fayoume in LaGrange, Ill., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing the 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Wadea Al Fayoume's father, Oday Al Fayoume, right, hugs his uncle Mahmoud Yousef, front, during a news conference for Muslim community members at Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview, Ill., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing the 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Muslim community members pray for Wadea Al Fayoume at Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview, Ill., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing the 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
A Muslim community member mourns Wadea Al Fayoume at his grave in LaGrange, Ill., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing the 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Family members of Wadea Al Fayoume bring out his casket from Mosque Foundation to the hearse in Bridgeview, Ill., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing the 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
The home where a boy was killed and a woman critically injured after they were stabbed by a man who targeted them because they were Muslim is shown in Plainfield, Ill., Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023.
Muslim community members mourn the death of Wadea Al Fayoume at Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview, Ill., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing the 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Muslim community members cry at the grave of Wadea Al Fayoume in LaGrange, Ill., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing the 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
This booking photo provided by the Will County Sheriff蘑菇视频 Office, in Joliet, Ill., shows Joseph M. Czuba. Authorities say Czuba has been charged with a hate crime, accused of fatally stabbing a young boy and seriously wounded a woman because of their Islamic faith and the Israel-Hamas war.
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) 鈥� Crowds of mourners in a heavily Palestinian Chicago suburb paid respects Monday to a 6-year-old Muslim boy killed in an alleged hate crime, hours after authorities revealed new details about the evidence used to charge the family蘑菇视频 landlord with stabbing the child and his mother.
Wadea Al-Fayoume, who had recently had a birthday, died Saturday after being stabbed dozens of times in a brutal attack that drew condemnation from local elected officials to the White House. Authorities said the family蘑菇视频 landlord, Joseph Czuba, was upset over the Israel-Hamas war and attacked them after the boy蘑菇视频 mother proposed they 鈥減ray for peace.鈥�
In Bridgeview, which is home to a large and established Palestinian community, family and friends remembered Wadea as an energetic boy who loved playing games. His body was carried in a small white casket 鈥� which was at times draped with a Palestinian flag 鈥� through packed crowds.
Mosque Foundation Imam Jamal Said reflected on the boy蘑菇视频 death during the janazah, or funeral service, but also the wider loss of life in the war between Israel and Hamas.
鈥淲adea is a child and he is not the only one under attack,鈥� he said, adding many 鈥渃hildren are being slaughtered literally in the Holy Land, unfortunately, which is very sad.鈥�
Mahmoud Yousef, the boy蘑菇视频 uncle, remembered Wadea as a typical 6-year-old who was active, playful and kind. Citing a text message from the boy蘑菇视频 mother, who was still recovering as her son was buried, Yousef said she recalled the last words her son spoke to her after he was stabbed: 鈥淢om, I鈥檓 fine.鈥�
鈥淵ou know what, he is fine,鈥� Yousef said. 鈥淗e蘑菇视频 in a better place.鈥�
Earlier Monday, Czuba made his first court appearance on murder, attempted murder and hate crime charges. In detailing the charges Sunday, the Will County Sheriff蘑菇视频 Office determined 鈥渂oth victims in this brutal attack were targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis.鈥�
Czuba, a Plainfield resident, replied, 鈥淵es, sir,鈥� when asked if he understood the charges and was subsequently returned to jail in Joliet, 50 miles (80.4 kilometers) southwest of Chicago. A Will County judge granted a court-appointed lawyer. The public defender蘑菇视频 office did not immediately return messages seeking comment about the charges against him.
The boy蘑菇视频 mother told investigators that she rents two rooms on the first floor of the Plainfield home while Czuba and his wife live on the second floor, Assistant State蘑菇视频 Attorney Michael Fitzgerald said in a court filing.
鈥淗e was angry at her for what was going on in Jerusalem,鈥� Fitzgerald said. 鈥淪he responded to him, 鈥楲et蘑菇视频 pray for peace.鈥� 鈥� Czuba then attacked her with a knife.鈥�
The boy蘑菇视频 mother fought him off and went into a bathroom where she stayed until police arrived. Wadea, meanwhile, was in his own room, Fitzgerald said.
The mother was identified by family members as Hanaan Shahin, 32, though authorities used a different spelling for her name as well as her son蘑菇视频 name.
On the day of the attack, police found Czuba with a cut on his forehead, sitting on the ground outside the home.
Czuba蘑菇视频 wife, Mary, told police that her husband feared they would be attacked by people of Middle Eastern descent and had withdrawn $1,000 from a bank 鈥渋n case the U.S. grid went down,鈥� Fitzgerald said in the court document.
In Bridgeview, the boy蘑菇视频 father briefly spoke to reporters in Arabic, saying he was trying to make sense of what happened to his son and the boy蘑菇视频 mother. He hoped it would be a 鈥渂ullet to solve the issue鈥� in his homeland.
鈥淚鈥檓 here as the father of the boy, not as a politician or religious scholar. I鈥檓 here as the father of a boy whose rights were violated,鈥� he said.
Community members chanted prayers in unison outside the mosque following the janazah as leaders transported the casket into a hearse. 鈥淭here is no God, but God,鈥� 鈥淭he martyr is beloved by God鈥� and 鈥淕od is greatest,鈥� they chanted, calls many Muslims recite in moments of grief, distress or remembrance.
At a news conference outside the mosque, speakers called for politicians and media to be responsible with their rhetoric and coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. Attendees gathered close to hear, phones recording and expressions somber.
In recent days, Jewish and Muslim groups have reported an increase of hateful rhetoric in the wake of the war. Several cities have stepped up police patrols.
The Justice Department said it opened a hate crime investigation into the attack.
鈥淭his 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,鈥� President Joe Biden said.
Associated Press reporters Ed White in Detroit and Noreen Nasir in New York contributed to this report.