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Crowds of mourners in a heavily Palestinian Chicago suburb paid respects Monday to a 6-year-old boy killed in an alleged hate crime as new details emerged in court about the accused attacker's motives in a stabbing that also critically injured the boy's mother.
Wadea Al-Fayoume, who had just turned 6, died Saturday after being multiple times in a killing that drew condemnation from elected officials in the governor's office to the White House.
The details emerged as Joseph Czuba appeared in court on murder, attempted murder and hate crime charges while the boy’s Muslim family prepared to bury him in the Chicago area.
The boy’s death was felt particularly deeply in Bridgeview, which is home to a large and established Palestinian-American population. Hundreds attended the boy’s janazah, or funeral service, at The Mosque Foundation.
His great uncle Mahmoud Yousef spoke outside the funeral area, "A 71 year old man, sitting on top of a six year old kid stabbing him more than 26 times. And he was looking in his eyes. You tell me, is that exaggeration? You tell me what type of man he can do that?"