Charges Filed In Jewish Federation Shootings
Posted: 7:43 am PDT August 2, 2006Updated: 2:06 pm PDT August 2, 2006
SEATTLE -- The King County prosecutor filed aggravated murder and attempted murder charges on Wednesday against the man accused of shooting six women at the Jewish Federation office in Seattle.The prosecutor has 30 days to decide whether to seek the death penalty against Naveed Afzal Haq, 30, of the Tri-Cities, if Haq is convicted.At a news conference Wednesday in Seattle, King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng also announced other charges against Haq in connection with Friday's shooting: burglary, kidnapping and malicious harassment.
See the charging documents [pdf file]
"Make no mistake, this was a hate crime," Maleng said. "The attack on these women was an attack on the Jewish community, not only in Seattle but throughout our nation and the world." Maleng said Haq is charged with five counts of attempted first-degree murder; one count of first-degree kidnapping, involving a teenage girl who was briefly taken hostage; one count of first-degree burglary for allegedly entering a locked facility to commit a crime; and one count of malicious harassment under the state's hate-crime law. "I think you can tell from the tenor of my remarks that this is one of the more aggravated cases and heinous and tragic cases that we've had in our community," the prosecutor said. Haq is being held in the King County Jail without bail. Arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 10.Haq said he is a Muslim who blames Jews for U.S. policy in the Middle East.Of the wounded, one has been released from Harborview Medical Center. Dayna Klein, the pregnant woman who was hit in the arm, is now recovering at home.The most seriously wounded may be Layla Bush, 23, who is on a ventilator in intensive care with a bullet in her spine.Hundreds of people attended an interfaith prayer service Thursday night at Westlake Center in Seattle for the victims.The service, at Westlake Center in downtown Seattle, was sponsored by the Church Council of Greater Seattle.More than a dozen ministers and rabbis led the prayers and about 250 people attended the interfaith service, holding hands and signing songs of peace."The people of Islamic faith share their grief and express our anger at this disgusting, inhuman, senseless, ruthless, mindless act of cruelty," said Hisham Farajillah of Idriss Mosque.Gov. Christine Gregoire attended the event and promised to secure synagogues and places of worship in Washington."To honor their life's work, I could think of no way to do it better than through this interfaith community," she said.
"Make no mistake, this was a hate crime," Maleng said. "The attack on these women was an attack on the Jewish community, not only in Seattle but throughout our nation and the world." Maleng said Haq is charged with five counts of attempted first-degree murder; one count of first-degree kidnapping, involving a teenage girl who was briefly taken hostage; one count of first-degree burglary for allegedly entering a locked facility to commit a crime; and one count of malicious harassment under the state's hate-crime law. "I think you can tell from the tenor of my remarks that this is one of the more aggravated cases and heinous and tragic cases that we've had in our community," the prosecutor said. Haq is being held in the King County Jail without bail. Arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 10.Haq said he is a Muslim who blames Jews for U.S. policy in the Middle East.Of the wounded, one has been released from Harborview Medical Center. Dayna Klein, the pregnant woman who was hit in the arm, is now recovering at home.The most seriously wounded may be Layla Bush, 23, who is on a ventilator in intensive care with a bullet in her spine.Hundreds of people attended an interfaith prayer service Thursday night at Westlake Center in Seattle for the victims.The service, at Westlake Center in downtown Seattle, was sponsored by the Church Council of Greater Seattle.More than a dozen ministers and rabbis led the prayers and about 250 people attended the interfaith service, holding hands and signing songs of peace."The people of Islamic faith share their grief and express our anger at this disgusting, inhuman, senseless, ruthless, mindless act of cruelty," said Hisham Farajillah of Idriss Mosque.Gov. Christine Gregoire attended the event and promised to secure synagogues and places of worship in Washington."To honor their life's work, I could think of no way to do it better than through this interfaith community," she said.
Previous Stories:
- August 2, 2006: Charges Expected In Shootings At Jewish Federation
- July 31, 2006: Mourners Gather For Funeral Of Shooting Victim
- July 30, 2006: Suspect In Jewish Center Shooting Ambushed Teen Girl
- July 29, 2006: Condition Of Shooting Victims Upgraded
- July 28, 2006: 1 Dead, 5 Wounded In Shooting Rampage At Jewish Center
Copyright 2009 by KIROTV.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
















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