Elmhurst College Muslim Student Attacked on Campus

The father of a Muslim student at Elmhurst College who was attacked by a masked gunman Thursday night in a campus bathroom said someone scrawled a swastika and anti-Muslim graffiti on her locker about a week ago. Authorities labeled the attack a hate crime Friday.

The college was briefly locked down after the 8:30 p.m. attack in a lower-level women's bathroom at the college's Schaible Science Center.

An ambulance was called but the student declined further medical treatment.

In an advisory posted on the college Web site today, the university called the attack an "aggravated battery / hate crime." The advisory also said that the attacker, described as about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, struck the woman with a firearm and that anti-Muslim graffiti was found in the restroom.

Reached by telephone Friday morning, the victim's father said she entered the bathroom yesterday and found a man there armed with a gun and wearing a black ski mask. The Tribune is not naming the victim at the father's request.

"He said, 'Now who is going to protect you?' " the victim's father said. " 'And she said that, 'God will protect me ... You can kill me, but you cannot take my soul.' She fought for her life, and that's how God saved her."

The gunman then backed off, he said.

Last week someone scrawled a swastika and wrote the anti-Muslim graffiti on the 19-year-old victim's locker, her father said. She was stunned that somebody on campus would target her, he said. Seeking to work through her feelings, she wrote a poem that addressed her tormenter, calling for respect.

Because of campus outrage about the graffiti, Thursday's peace rally drew twice the number of participants as last year, the father said. The victim didn't want to speak after what had gone on, preferring to be private, he said. But the students nudged her and urged her to speak, so she read her poem.

"And that poem is so heart-touching," her father said, "like somebody's trying to say, 'You believe in hate; I believe in love. I believe in care. I believe in respect.'

"These are girls that are just going to college, and extremely peaceful and law-abiding persons -- and to say things like that to them."

The victim previously attended the Islamic Foundation School in Villa Park, her father said. Phone calls to the school went unanswered.

The college said there will be a student gathering today on the school quad in response to the attack in the bathroom.

About 3,300 students are enrolled at the west suburban college.

College president S. Alan Ray, in a statement on the school Web site, said the campus was "shocked and saddened" by the attack.

Ray listed a series of steps that the college will take to beef up security for staff and students. Elmhurst Police will patrol the school by foot and car, and detectives were seeking to talk to anyone with information about the incidents, he stated.

Some low-usage buildings were to be locked earlier than usual today, and counselors were available to talk with students. Campus Security also offered to escort Muslim students around the campus -- and other students or staff could request escorts as well, Ray added.

He said, "I encourage all members of our community to cooperate fully with law enforcement in its investigation of this despicable incident. Help law enforcement by sharing any information you have. My prayers and thoughts go out to all of you but especially to our Muslim students."

Soofia Ahmed, president of the Muslim Students Association, said three Muslim students wearing headscarves had faced verbal attacks during a peace rally on Sept. 18 in the student cafeteria organized to protest the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.

Since then, she said, "it's all kind of spiraled out of control."

"I'm not sure what the root cause is or why they feel that way," Ahmed said Friday.

Comments

[AstridD]

This story has been debunked and the girl arrested for filing a false police statement. On top of that, she's guilty of inciting hatred and fear herself.

[butwhatabout]

It is a fraud as expected, just like the Dayton mosque "gassing"

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2008/10/report-student-made-up-campus-attack.html

I expect an update on this story by Naazish is forthcoming.

[ZoeZoe]

Wow - you wont post any of my comments pointing out that the supposed victim was a fraud. I guess its easier to encourage hatred and play the victim that explore the truth.

[gimbler]

Ironic, I think, that this story and this story are posted on the same page. They're more similar than they are different. I think it would be prudent to "keep our powder dry" on this one until more facts come out.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/esther-j-cepeda/teen-faked-rape-and-her-c_b_134057.html

[Naazish YarKhan - Huffpost Blogger]

Islamophobia, unfortunately is rearing its ugly head more and more often. Just see how Obama has been made out to be a terrorist because he bears a Muslim middle name "Hussein".
As if it were a crime to be Muslim. As if being Muslim automatically equals being a terrorist.
Elmhurst College has been the scene of this and another event where Muslims in a rally on campus were called names. Let's pray for peace and be proactive in our approach. If we aren't part of the solution, we are part of the problem.

[amad]

Most recommended story on dailykos:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/12/151932/42/47/628477

Keep up the good work Naazish!

[Naazish YarKhan - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks much! :)

[OldCowhand]

Hatred has nothing to do with the western suburbs I used to know.

[Naazish YarKhan - Huffpost Blogger]

I live here and I can say that of the many, many good people I've gotten to know over the years. It's just a huge shame when the hate-mongers or the violent ones become those who define the rest of us. It behooves us to be pro-active and actually take it a step further and do something about healing communities. www.IFYC.org is worth tuning into it. Great, great work. I was at a training they organized recently and I knew I'd learn something knew but little did I know I would leave that training with such a sense of hope for the future.

[spillersgirl]

I'm glad she survived! I would love to read her poem.

Let's be proactive people of America!

Today I sent emails to my state Senators and Congressman (search Google "emailing [insert your state] senators" and "emailing [insert your state] congressman" and you will go directly to websites for your Senators and Congressman). I pleaded and begged them to talk to McCain and Palin to stop the hateful madness before it causes the death of one American on American soil!

I also sent a personal email to John McCain at info@johnm­ccain.com. I respectfully begged him to stop the hate campaign before it's too late. I forwarded my email to all my friends and asked them to send emails.

Please, my fellow Americans, do all the good acts that you can to stop this madness!

[Naazish YarKhan - Huffpost Blogger]

I couldn't agree more! We need more like you Spillersgirl!!

[lisakaz2]

I'm glad she survived and hope fervently that this coward is caught and harshly punished. What happened to liberty and civil society??? This clown is a terrorist and should be treated as such.

[Naazish YarKhan - Huffpost Blogger]

I'm hoping it gets investigated as a hate crime !