At funeral for slain Plainfield boy, Muslim community expresses fear, anger

Bridgeview — Funeral services for Wadea Al-Fayoume, a 6-year-old Plainfield boy who was stabbed to death in his home Oct. 14, were held Monday afternoon at the Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview.

“It is with heavy hearts that we acknowledge this senseless act of hate, which has no place in our community or any society,” the Mosque Foundation said in an official statement.

Wadea and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, who are both Muslim, were attacked Saturday morning in the unincorporated Plainfield home they rented. Their landlord, 71-year-old Joseph Czuba, was charged in the attack in what is being called a hate crime by local and federal law enforcement.

The attack allegedly was motivated by the family’s Muslim faith and because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas.

Wadea was stabbed 26 times with a military-style knife while his mother called 911 from their bathroom in the home. She was stabbed a dozen times and remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Thousands of mourners from Chicago’s Muslim community, some carrying Palestinian flags, flocked to the mosque to pay their respects to the boy and speak out against anti-Muslim hate.

The mosque holds 3,000 people and was at capacity, with many gathering on the sidewalk outside during the service.

Among those attending the services inside were Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker, who greeted the family in private to express their condolences before the service. They later were joined by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and several members of the Illinois House and Senate.

Representatives of the Chicago office of the Council on American Islamic Relations, which has been supporting the family, attended the services, including Executive Director Ahmed Rehab.

“This is a heavy day that we hoped would never come. As they say, the smallest coffins are the heaviest,” said Rehab, who addressed that Shahin was unable to attend her son’s funeral because of her own injuries. “[She] will be feeling Wadea’s loss more than anyone, but she is forced to mourn alone rather in the warm embrace of family and community at this time.”

Community feeling unsafe

The Muslim community in the Chicago suburbs has been greatly shaken by the attack, which many blame on “dehumanizing” and “one-sided” depictions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by the media and politicians.

“This heinous crime did not occur in a vacuum,” said Oussama Jammal, a board member for the Mosque Foundation. “Public officials and the media are acting irresponsibly.”

State Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, whose district includes Plainfield, said Sunday: “The hate that fueled this senseless crime is appalling. I cannot comprehend how anyone could harm a child and his mother in their home due to their race or religion. My heart goes out to all who know and love this family.”

Loughran Cappel also said that her office would “provide support for those who need it” in the community in the wake of the crime.

Czuba had become intensely interested in the Middle East conflict in recent days after Hamas’ attack on Israeli citizens and attacked his tenants of two years after listening to conservative talk radio, shouting “Muslims must die” at Shahin before stabbing her, Will County prosecutors said.

“I am Palestinian, and I’m here representing my people. It is the least I can do,” said Dalia Ali, who works with the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. “Sometimes I feel a sense of guilt as a Palestinian living here in comfort in America, but Wadea’s death showed to me there is no comfort left for Muslims in America or around the world. It is vile, and it hits too close to home. I feel heartbroken over Wadea’s death and all the deaths in Palestine, and I’m angry about the misinformation in the media about my people, who are just trying to survive.”

“It’s unfortunate that it takes something like this to open people’s eyes,” said Layla Hedroug, a 20-year-old Yale University student from Oak Brook.

Although they do not know Wadea’s family personally, Hedroug said she and her family have been involved at the Bridgeview mosque and in the community for years.

“We did not need to know them personally for this to be heartbreaking,” Hedroug said. “This reaffirms that I can’t feel safe even in a predominantly Muslim community because the messages spread by the media embolden people to take action against things they know little about.”

Hedroug, who is studying global affairs at Yale, said she had returned home from school for fall break a few days early because she had been feeling unsafe on campus due to anti-Palestinian sentiments being expressed by other students, including threatening messages written on dormitory doors, which the school administration dismissed as “protected political sentiments.”

“As a mother, I’m devastated, and as an American, I’m disappointed,” said Maaria Mozaffar, an attorney with the Muslim Civic Coalition. “For the past week, the Muslim community has been speaking out, asking people to tell the truth and not make the same mistakes we did after 9/11. There are civilians on both sides who have been targeted in this conflict. We cannot allow that or allow that to be celebrated.”

The Anti-Defamation League posted online its response to the attacks Sunday afternoon stating: “We’re disgusted and horrified that a 6-year-old boy was murdered and his mother was severely injured in #Plainfield, IL, allegedly because they are Muslim. We express our condolences to the Muslim community and categorically reject all anti-Muslim hate.”

“We are in the process of reaching out to leaders of the Muslim community in Plainfield and surrounding communities to express our horror and condolences, offer any assistance needed, and make clear that we categorically reject anti-Muslim hate in any form,” according to the ADL Midwest.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Monday afternoon also condemned the attack.

”The conflict in the Middle East, negative reactions to the recent influx of migrants, and the heightening of overall racial and religious tensions have led to a rise in hate crimes in our state, as evidenced by the horrific murder that occurred in Plainfield this weekend,” Raoul said in a written statement. “Such unthinkable violence and hatred have no place in Illinois, and we must stand united in condemning all acts of hate and bigotry.

“In light of these threats, I would like to remind residents of the resources my office offers, both to address hate crimes and to provide assistance for victims through our Crime Victims Compensation Program. I urge all Illinois residents to report hate crimes and discrimination to local law enforcement and to my office’s Civil Rights Bureau.”