Officials deny allegations Syrians raped Idaho girl

A prosecutor in south-central Idaho is refuting a widespread rumor that three young Syrian refugees raped a girl at knifepoint.

Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs says that no gang rape involving Syrian refugees or a knife took place despite allegations currently circulating on social media and conspiracy-oriented websites.

However, anti-refugee activists have aggressively pushed the story, arguing that police failed to respond the alleged incident in a timely manner. Loebs denies this claim. Instead, Loebs said charges have been filed involving young children at a laundry room at a Twin Falls apartment building, but those records are sealed because of the ages of the juveniles.

Idaho has refugee resettlement centers in Boise and Twin Falls. No Syrian refugees have been resettled in Twin Falls.

KBOI reports: “Something bad did happen, and we’re taking it serious,” Loebs said. “But it didn’t involve Syrians, it didn’t involve a knife and it didn’t involve a gang rape.”

Reports say Two minors are being charged with the sexual assault of a 5-year-old. There was a third minor present who is not being charged.

In a Twin Falls City Council meeting Monday evening, the Chief of the Twin Falls Police Department saidthe three boys were Iraqi and Sudanese descent, not Syrian. There was no evidence of a father giving a child a “high five”. Also, this incident didn’t happen at knife point.

There is no word on the condition of the 5-year-old victim.