The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said “justice has been done” following the conviction of a Plainfield, Illinois, landlord on all counts in the hate crime murder of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy, Wadee Al Fayoumi, and the stabbing of his mother.
Joseph Czuba was convicted on one count of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated battery, and two counts of hate crime for the 2023 attack.
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“We believe justice has been done in this horrible case of bigoted anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian views being turned into violent actions targeting an innocent child. But no guilty verdict, however just, will bring Wadee back to life.
“The misinformation and dehumanization of the Palestinians by our political leaders and the media led to the brutal murder of little Wadee and the injuring of his mother. Islamophobia kills.
“Let all those who promote Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism and all other forms of bigotry see what happens to anyone who would turn their hate-filled views into deadly violence.”
CAIR’s Chicago office held a press conference today following the verdict.
At that news conference, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab said in part:
“All the way up to the President of the United States at the time, President Biden—there was culpability. When the president came out and reiterated unfounded claims that 40 babies were decapitated, that they were basically beheaded by Palestinians—this was part of the radicalization process of Joseph Czuba. That’s what he was reacting to, these unfounded claims… The way that the media covered the conflict, showing only one side of what was happening, and not at all showing the humanity, suffering, and the reality of the Gazans on the ground who were losing life, limb, property, infrastructure, houses, by the tens of thousands.”
CAIR-Chicago plans to be present for the May 2 sentencing.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago, 202-870-0166, [email protected]; Monia Alhelou, Operations Coordinator of CAIR-Chicago, 312-212-1520, [email protected]; Hafsa Haider, Communications Coordinator of CAIR-Chicago, 561-317-7509, [email protected]; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]