Landlord Faces Trial for Hate Crime Murder of 6-Year-Old Palestinian-American Boy

Joseph Czuba, 73, is accused of killing Wadee Al Fayoumi and attacking his mother in an anti-Muslim assault linked to tensions over the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Joseph Czuba, a 73-year-old landlord, is on trial for the fatal stabbing of 6-year-old Wadee Al Fayoumi and the attempted murder of his mother, Hanan Shaheen, in Illinois.
Prosecutors allege that Czuba was motivated by anti-Muslim hatred and anger over the Israel-Hamas conflict, which he expressed to Shaheen before the attack.
Shaheen testified that Czuba attacked her while shouting, 'You Muslims must die,' before turning on her son, who was stabbed 26 times with a military-style knife.
Body camera footage presented in court showed the aftermath of the attack, with officers discovering Wadee's body and Czuba covered in blood outside the home.
The case has drawn attention to rising Islamophobia and hate crimes in the U.S., with legal advocates highlighting other recent incidents targeting Arab and Muslim communities.