Muslim Student Who Faked Elmhurst College Attack charged
Pioneer Press Reporting
WHEATON-- The college student who falsely claimed she was the victim of a violent attack on campus last month has been indicted by a grand jury.
Safia Jilani, 19, of Oak Brook, was indicted on one count of obstructing justice for filing a false police report, said Paul Darrah, spokesman for DuPage County State's Attorney's office. The charge is a Class 4 felony, and if found guilty, she faces up to three years in prison. She is no longer attending the school.
Darrah said Jilani has retained an attorney and is scheduled to be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. Monday in DuPage County Courthouse.
Jilani, a Muslim, initially told Elmhurst police that she was attacked by a masked gunman in the bathroom of the Schaible Science Center on the Elmhurst College campus the evening of Oct. 9. She also claimed anti-Muslim slurs were written in marker on the bathroom mirror and that she had found similar graffiti in her locker the week before.
A rally to support her took place on campus the next day and students stood up to speak outside the Frick Center, expressing outrage about hate crimes.
However, after investigating, Elmhurst police arrested Jilani on Oct. 17 and charged her with filing a false police report.
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