71-year-old Joseph Juba, who is accused of killing a 6-year-old Muslim American-Palestinian and wounding his mother in Illinois, USA, pleaded not guilty yesterday, Monday, before a judge, one week after the recent outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. The judge ordered that he remain in custody.
Joseph Juba is accused of stabbing his tenants, 32-year-old Hanan Sahin, who survived, and her 6-year-old son Wadia al-Fayoum, who succumbed to his injuries in hospital on October 14 near Chicago in the northeastern US.
Appearing before a Wills County judge, the 71-year-old defendant pleaded not guilty to eight charges, including murder and a racially motivated hate crime, and was ordered to remain in custody until his next court appearance. judicial authorities, which is scheduled for January 8.
A mother and son "were targeted by the suspect because they are Muslim and because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East with Hamas and the Israelis," police said, adding that the boy was stabbed 26 times.
At the autopsy, a military knife with a 15 cm blade was removed from the child's abdomen.
US President George Biden condemned on October 15 a "horrific act of hate" that "has no place in America".
Source: RES-EAP