Biden Condemns The Murder Of A 6-year-old Palestinian-American Child, Invites US Citizens To Unite Against Islamophobia

Illustration. (ANTARA/HO)

JAKARTA - United States President Joe Biden has brutally criticized the killing of a Palestinian-American boy who was stabbed to death by a 71-year-old man in the US state of Illinois. "(The First Lady) Jill and I are deeply shocked and sick of knowing about this brutal murder of a six-year-old boy and the attempted murder of her mother at their home yesterday in Illinois," Biden said in a statement quoted by Anadolu via Antara, Monday, October 16. "This horrific act of hatred has no place in America and goes against our basic values: free from fear of the way we worship, what we believe in, and who we are," Biden said. Biden urged Americans to unite against Islamophobia following the assassination. "As Americans, we must unite and reject Islamophobia and all forms of wisdom and hatred. I have said repeatedly that I will not stand still in the face of hatred. We must be firm. There is no place in America to hate anyone, ” he said. “ We join with everyone at the White House to extend our condolences and prayers to the family, including for the recovery of mothers, and to the Palestinian community, Arabs, and other American Muslims ” The Palestinian Muslim family of the child came to America to find what we are all looking for — protection for life, learning, and praying in peace, ” he added. Joseph Czuba, stabbed Wadea Al-Fayoume to death and injured his mother seriously in attacks motivated by Islamic beliefs and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Regional Sheriff's Office of Will said, based on an examination by forensic pathologists, the boy was stabbed 26 times all over his body. His 32-year-old mother suffered more than a dozen stab wounds. He is recovering and is expected to survive. Czuba was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, assault with lethal weapons and two counts of hate crimes.