The Illinois landlord who stabbed a six-year-old Muslim boy to death in a heinous hate crime had become paranoid about Israel’s conflict with Hamas, and thought the boy’s Palestinian parents were going to call their friends to ‘come and harm him’, a court heard today. 

Joseph Czuba, 71, is charged with murdering six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume in Plainfield, Illinois, on Saturday morning.  Wadea was stabbed 26 times and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, was stabbed over a dozen times, after allegedly screaming ‘You Muslims must die!’ 

The racist attack sickened many, including President Joe Biden. In Brussels, a man claiming to be a member of ISIS shot two people on Monday night to ‘avenge’ Wadea’s death.  

Czuba appeared in court today in a red prison jumpsuit with matted hair. 

He was denied bail after being arraigned on charges including first degree murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault. 

Joseph Czuba, 71, is charged with murdering six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume in Plainfield, Illinois, on Saturday morning

Wadea’s mother, Hanaan Shahin, was stabbed more than a dozen times. She remains in the hospital. The pair are shown together 

Wadea was stabbed 26 times and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, was stabbed over a dozen times, after allegedly screaming ‘You Muslims must die!’

As Czuba  made his first court appearance, mourners gathered to lay Wadea to rest. His father, Oday, was among those present

At the hearing, prosecutors described how Czuba had become paranoid about the ‘day of jihad’ that Hamas leaders called for on Friday, October 13th.

When no attacks occurred, his wife says he became even more frightened that one would in the following days. 

He withdrew $1,000 in cash from the bank, claiming ‘the grid’ was going to go down, and became increasingly worried as he listened to radio coverage of the war in Israel and Gaza. 

His wife told police he thought he was in danger and that Shahin ‘was going to call Palestinian friends to come and harm them.’ 

The attack happened shortly before noon on Saturday. 

According to the boy’s mother, Czuba – who rented them a room in his home – appeared at the door and first tried to choke her. 

The attack took place on Saturday morning in this home in Plainfield, where both lived. Wadea’s family rented a room from Czuba, who also lives at the property 

The boy and his mother. He has one older sibling who was not harmed in the Saturday attack

Wadea, pictured on his sixth birthday earlier this month, said: ‘I’m fine’ before dying, his parents have revealed

Hundreds of mourners gathered at a mosque near the boy’s home on Monday to lay him to rest

Wadea’s father was among mourners. He previously described his son as an ‘angel’ 

Read Related Also: Lawyer Kenneth Chesebro pleads guilty over efforts to overturn Trump’s 2020 loss in Georgia

The boy’s father on Sunday. His mother remains in the hospital 

She ran inside, calling 911. He followed with a military-grade, serrated knife that he used to stab Wadea 26 times. 

The boy’s mother was also stabbed a dozen times. Police arrived to find Czuba sitting outside the property, upright. 

As he made his first court appearance, mourners gathered to lay Wadea to rest. His father, Oday, was among those present. 

‘This is a heavy day that we hoped would never come. As they say, the smallest coffins are the heaviest,’ Ahmed Rehab, executive director of CAIR-Chicago, said in a statement, according to the Chicago Tribune. 

Before the funeral, members of the Muslim and Palestinian community gathered to denounce the attack and criticize the media for fueling anti-Palestinian rhetoric. 

 ‘This heinous crime did not occur in a vacuum,’ Oussama Jammal, who is on the board of directors of the Mosque Foundation, told the Tribune. ‘Public officials and our media are acting irresponsible.’

The child’s school district also said that counseling staffers would be available on Monday at the boy’s school.  

Before the funeral, members of the Muslim and Palestinian community gathered to denounce the attack and criticize the media for fueling anti-Palestinian rhetoric

A fundraising page has raised more than $318,000 to help cover funeral expenses, housing expenses for the mom and a memorial for Wadea

The child’s school district also said that counseling staffers would be available on Monday at the boy’s school

‘This is a heavy day that we hoped would never come. As they say, the smallest coffins are the heaviest,’ Ahmed Rehab, executive director of CAIR-Chicago, said in a statement

The backyard of the home where Czuba stabbed the boy and his mother. It is crammed with US flags and other patriotic signs

The cluttered backyard also has umbrellas and Christian sgnage 

A fundraising page has raised more than $318,000 to help cover funeral expenses, housing expenses for the mom and a memorial for Wadea. 

‘We cannot allow her to return back to the home where she experienced such trauma. These funds will also be used to support Hanaan in moving to a safe space where she can feel comfortable,’ the page read.

Relatives said the boy and his mom lived at the home for two years without incident – until the landlord’s alleged attack this weekend. 

The ‘day of jihad’ sparked security fears around the country and indeed the world. Every major police force in the US beefed up its resources for the day in anticipation of unrest. 

In New York, all protests were peaceful, as were the majority across the US. 

In France, police clashed with pro-Palestine protesters, and a teacher was also killed by an assailant who allegedly yelled ‘allahu akbar.’