West Suburban Bureau

Islamic School Vandalized 4th Time In 2 Months

Incident Isn't First Time School Has Been Targeted

VILLA PARK, Ill. (CBS) ― Vandals struck an Islamic school in the western suburbs for the fourth time in two months, and as CBS 2's Jim Williams reports, school leaders are calling it a hate crime.

The Islamic Foundation's school in Villa Park is thriving and expanding. A new building is under construction to help accommodate the 700 students who attend kindergarten through high school.

It was here that the vandals struck last week. They tore open plastic wrap surrounding containers of hydraulic liquid that's used for elevators and poured it onto the floor.

Nearby, windows were shattered. And that's not all. Two weeks ago, a Star of David was found plastered to a wall.

"It's disheartening and we need to make aware in the community we are all peace-loving people," said Kamal Talukber. "We just come here to worship Allah, that's all."

School leaders are certain they are not victims of mere vandalism, but of hate crimes.

A month ago, anti-Islamic messages were spray-painted on the outer walls of the school while the public schools next door were not vandalized, they say.

The adjoining mosque and the school have been warmly welcomed by most in the community.

"I think the majority of people around here, we've had good relationship with them. That is why is sad when these things do happen," said the mosque's imam, Abdur-Rahman Khan.

As police try to find the vandals, teachers try to find a lesson for the students here.

"You need to be kind and have patience and I think if we follow that rule and we allow the law enforcement agencies to do what they have to do," Khan said.

In 2003, the mosque was vandalized and two teenagers were charged with hate crimes. Mosque leaders asked then that they be allowed to talk to the young vandals to give them a better understand of Islam. They'd like do the same thing if police find those responsible for the latest vandalism.

Islamic leaders in Chicago are at a loss to explain why there's been a sudden increase in vandalism at the mosque in Villa Park, but they wonder whether the contentious nature of the presidential race has sparked stronger anti-Muslim feelings.

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