Viral Misinformation Incited the Murder of 6-Year-Old Palestinian Boy, Officials Say

A man accused of murdering a 6-year-old Palestinian boy and grievously wounding his mother in Illinois on Saturday was motivated by misinformation surrounding the Israel-Hamas war, officials say.

Joseph Czuba, a landlord in Plainfield Township, IL, allegedly drove himself into a violent frenzy about his Muslim tenants after listening to conservative talk radio, according to state prosecutors. Czuba was worried about rumors about an imagined Hamas plot that first spread on social media, Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Fitzgerald said at a Monday court hearing, according to ABC News.

Czuba “stated he was concerned about the national day of Jihad that was supposed to occur on Friday,” Fitzgerald said.

The 71-year-old allegedly entered the family’s home wielding a knife and shouting “You Muslims must die.” He attacked the boy’s mother, identified as Hanaan Shahin, who locked herself in a bathroom and dialed 911, according to reports. The Will County Sheriff’s Office said Czuba then turned on her son, identified as Wadea Al-Fayoume, whom he allegedly stabbed to death.

Reports suggest Czuba previously had a friendly relationship with the family and even built Wadea a treehouse on the property. But Czuba’s feelings allegedly turned to paranoid delusion over conspiracy theories about a fabricated Hamas plot to launch terrorist attacks on Friday, October 13th. Czuba’s wife reportedly told authorities that his belief about the attacks persisted even after Friday passed without incident. She said her husband believed Shahin was “going to call Palestinian friends to come and harm them,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The attack took place the following day.

The incident sparked national attention, including responses from federal officials. President Biden said he was “sickened” to learn about the murder in a statement Sunday. “The child’s Palestinian Muslim family came to America seeking what we all seek — a refuge to live, learn, and pray in peace,” Biden said. The Justice Department is investigating the incident as a hate crime.

Over the last week, misinformation about the supposed “global day of jihad” swirled on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Telegram channels and other platforms. WIRED reports the rumor stemmed from comments by Khaled Meshaal, the founder and former leader of Hamas. Meshaal sent Reuters a recorded statement Wednesday, calling for protests across the Arab world on October 13 in support of the Palestinians, adding “To all scholars who teach jihad … to all who teach and learn, this is a moment for the application [of theories].”

Meshaal specifically called for protests in “the Arab and Islamic worlds,” but almost immediately, a mistranslation suggesting Meshaal had ordered a “day of rage” and a “global” or “international day of Jihad” spread across the internet.

The conversation soon turned to far-right calls for violence against Muslims. The global day of jihad rumor was parroted by influential conservatives and extremists, including Representative Marjorie Taylor-Greene and Rogan O’Handley, a lawyer turned far-right influencer who goes by DC Draino on X. Charlie Kirk echoed the misinformation on Instagram, where he posted “Day of Jihad? Arm up,” days before the murder in Illinois.

The increasingly insular social media landscape makes it difficult for researchers and regulators to understand exactly what’s happening on the internet in real-time. Still, the Israel-Hamas conflict is being described as a turning point for misinformation.

Collectively, the leading social media platforms say they’ve removed hundreds of thousands of posts for breaking rules about misinformation and depictions of violence. EU regulators sent letters to X, TikTok, Meta, and Google demanding details about the companies’ efforts to stem the flood of mis- and disinformation about the war. Meanwhile, users on Facebook and Instagram accused Meta of suppressing pro-Palestinian posts. The company said it fixed a “bug” to correct the issue.

Czuba is being held without bail under charges including murder, aggravated assault, and hate crimes.

“As Americans, we must come together and reject Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry and hatred,” Biden’s statement reads. “I have said repeatedly that I will not be silent in the face of hate. We must be unequivocal. There is no place in America for hate against anyone.”

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