Chicago-area safety concerns arise after anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic threats amid Middle East conflict

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Multiple anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic threats and acts have been reported in the Chicago area this week as the conflict in the Middle East continues.

A suburban Islamic school was closed Friday after leaders there said a threatening letter was received in the mail on Thursday.

The Al Aqsa School in Bridgeview was quiet Friday as students learn remotely from home because of a threatening letter sent to the school on Thursday. Friday prayers have extra security.

The spokesman for the mosque said he has seen fewer people attend services on Friday.

"People are nervous and scared," said Bridgeview Mosque Foundation Spokesperson Oussama Jammal. "It is very unfortunate that we are going in a super-power country, a country, land that is supposedly of free and democracy, that people are scared."

Universal school, which is next to the mosque, and Aqsa were closed Friday for in-person classes and meetings.

Fida Zoubeidi is a teacher at Universal and a mother.

"Every conversation, there is a feeling of unsettledness in our chest we cannot get over. We are unsettled. We are anxious. We are terrified for our children," Zoubeidi said. "We just want peace. We absolutely just want a ceasefire. We want humans to live like humans should."

The sermons Friday include prayer for those have been killed and injured and prayers for a more peaceful future here and abroad.

The note one of a few local threats targeting Palestinians in the last week, because of the war in the Middle East.

President Biden tried to calm tensions nationwide by speaking out against the hate crimes and threats. However, local faith organizations said that is not enough.

"This is the craziest time we've seen since 9/11 and maybe supersedes the immediate aftermath in terms of the hate incidents being reported," CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab said. "In terms of the shear grotesque nature of the threats."

Rehab believes the national coverage of the war and statements from elected officials have worsened the situation for Palestinian-Americans. He points to that letter sent to the school as one example, calling it terrifying.

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"Then we get this letter to Al Aqsa school and shuts it down for two days, that basically gloats over this death of the small child and says more is needed, and says the person who killed him is a national treasure," Rehab said.

In Lombard, the DuPage County Sheriff charged Larry York with hate crimes for threatening to shoot two Muslim men near an apartment complex Tuesday night.

The DuPage County States Attorney said the incident began with one man sitting outside in his car waiting for a friend, and York punched his window. Police said York then went into the building and threatened a second person, while allegedly telling the victims they didn't belong in this country.

The Illinois State Comptroller fired one of its attorneys for offensive posts made on social media.

A spokesperson for The office of the Illinois state comptroller told ABC7 they were notified Thursday about comments the lawyer made, calling for the murder of Jews. The employee admitted to some of those posts, and they were immediately fired. The spokesperson said they have a zero tolerance policy for anti-Semitism or hate speech.

The Midwest Anti-Defamation League issued this statement on the matter, thanking the Illinois Comptroller for making it clear that there is no place for anti-Semitism and hate in Illinois.

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Local faith organizations continue to try spread a message of peace in the hopes of stopping threats and attacks.

Patrols are expected to continue near the mosque in Bridgeview and the school next door.