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Mohamad Bekheet, 32, struck in the early morning hours on Monday, April 10, at a pre-K-through-8th grade school named for the late Dr. Hani Awadallah, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said.
Platkin said Bekheet smeared feces over the last five letters of the name of the local educator and advocate for Arab Americans and Palestinians – or “Allah,” which means “God.”
He was charged by the state Division of Criminal Justice’s Bias Crimes Unit following a joint investigation with the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office and Paterson police, the attorney general said on April 14.
In addition to bias intimidation, Bekheet is charged with criminal mischief and harassment, he said.
He was issued a summons to appear in court, Platkin said.
Selaedin Maksut, the executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, said there were actually two similar incidents of the same crime – once last Friday and then again on Monday.
“We have reason to believe that [Bekheet] acted on an anti-Muslim impulse due to his social media postings, in which he posted the defecated sign as well as a desecrated Qur’an,” Maksut said.
******ANYONE with a photo of Bekheet is asked to forward it via text to: (201) 943-2794. Or email: jdemarco@dailyvoice.com. Or PM: Jerry DeMarco (FACEBOOK)******
Platkin, meanwhile, noted that Awadallah, the school’s namesake, was “an ardent advocate for the Arab-Americans who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of children and immigrants.
“He was passionate about ensuring equity among students,” the attorney general said. “He left his city of Paterson, and all of New Jersey, a proud legacy that we will work to honor and protect."
“Bias crimes spread like cancer through a community, creating fear and distrust and undermining everyone’s sense of peace and security,” he added.
“As bias and hate continue to rise in New Jersey, we must be vigilant in addressing these crimes immediately to hold perpetrators accountable and to send a clear message that they will not be tolerated in any capacity,” Platkin said.
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Members of the public are encouraged to report bias incidents to their local police departments or via the NJBIAS online portal at njcivilright/bias, or by calling 800-277-BIAS
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