Suspect in attack on Palestinian American boy, mother pleads not guilty

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Illinois man accused of killing a 6-year-old Palestinian American child, and repeatedly stabbing the boy's mother, pleaded not guilty Monday.

Joseph Czuba, 71, was the landlord of the house Wadea al-Fayoume and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, were renting when they were attacked.

He was taken into custody following the Oct. 14 murder of al-Fayoume and assault of Shahin, and charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two hate crime charges, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Czuba pleaded not guilty in a Will County court on Monday, according to multiple reports.

Authorities have said Czuba carried out the attack because of the conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip, as well as the victims' Muslim and Palestinian identities. The Justice Department has separately opened a federal hate crime probe into the attack.

Al-Fayoume was stabbed 26 times while his mother suffered at least a dozen stab wounds, according to authorities.