A Bengali-American state senator from Virginia has introduced a bill to criminalize Islamophobia. 

The bill, introduced by state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim, would define "Islamophobia" "as it relates to the crime of assault and battery as malicious prejudice or hatred directed toward Islam or Muslims."

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The summary for Salim’s bill says that the Islamophobia definition "applies regardless of whether the victim is actually a practitioner of Islam, provided that the perpetrator targeted such victim based on a perceived adherence to such faith. The bill also clarifies that religious conviction includes Islam."

The bill "directs the Department of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, to include the bill's definition of ‘Islamophobia’ in its hate crime reporting central repository."

Salim represents Virginia's district 37, which includes all of Fairfax City and Falls Church City, and parts of Fairfax County.

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Salim currently serves on several high-profile Virginia studies and commissions, including the Joint Commission on Technology and Science (JCOTS) Blockchain Advisory Committee, Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a Retail Cannabis Market, Virginia Child Support Guidelines Review Panel, Electric Vehicle Rebate Program Advisory Council, Information Technology Advisory Council, Virginia Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation, and the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Salim for comment. 

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Two Swedes were convicted in a Danish court of terrorism and attempted murder for detonating two hand grenades near the Israeli Embassy in Copenhagen in October 2024.

The younger of the two men, who is 18 years old, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while his older accomplice, aged 21, was sentenced to 14 years, according to The Associated Press, which cited Swedish news agency TT. The two men, who have not been identified, were said to be acting on behalf of a criminal gang, the AP reported.

The attack occurred on Oct. 2, 2024, when the two threw hand grenades towards the Israeli Embassy in Copenhagen. The grenades detonated on the terrace of a residential building, which was inhabited by a family with children, according to the AP. No one was injured in the blasts. The nearby Jewish school, Carolineskolen, was closed when the attack took place.

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The two men admitted to throwing the grenades, but denied being ideologically motivated, saying they did it for money, the AP reported.

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The Danish court was reportedly split on whether the two should be convicted of terrorism. Two judges and four jurors concluded that they were guilty, while one judge and two jurors disagreed, according to the AP, which cited TT.

At the time of the attack, Israel's war in Gaza had been ongoing for nearly a year following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, massacre that left 1,200 dead and resulted in the taking of 251 hostages. Throughout the war, Jerusalem faced international scrutiny as world leaders debated whether the Israel Defense Forces' actions in Gaza were excessive.

The war ended in October 2025 with a peace deal brokered under the Trump administration.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.