On Monday, American Joseph Chuba, accused of fatally stabbing a Palestinian-American child, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him in the crime that occurred in Illinois and which police linked to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
Chuba, 71 years old, faces charges of murder, attempted murder, and hate crimes in connection with the crime that occurred on October 14, which resulted in the death of the six-year-old child, Wadih Al-Fayoumi, and the serious injury of his mother, Hanan Shaheen (32 years old).
Chuba pleaded not guilty to all charges against him when he appeared before an Illinois court, which decided to extend his detention until January 8, the date of the next hearing.
According to the Will County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect targeted his two victims “because they were Muslims and because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East between Hamas and the Israelis.”
He confirmed that Chuba, the owner of the house where Shaheen lives, stabbed the child 26 times.
The family is Palestinian-American, according to the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
US President Joe Biden had condemned the crime, which he described as a “horrific act of hate” and “contradictory to the values” of the United States.
Biden explained, “The child’s Palestinian Muslim family came to the United States seeking what we all seek (…) a haven to live, learn, and pray in peace.”
He said: “As Americans, we must unite and reject Islamophobia and all forms of intolerance and hatred.”
TRT Arabic – Agencies
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2023-10-31 10:15:03
