Islamic teacher from Maryland allegedly sexually abused teenager while reading the Koran

A 65-year-old Islamic teacher is accused of sexually abusing a teenager he was supposed to teach. Investigators believe there are other victims who have not yet come forward.

Adi Yousef Najjar of Germantown turned himself in to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit on August 21 following an investigation into reports of sexual abuse of a minor.

The alleged assaults took place between September 2022 and June 2024, during which time Najjar acted as the victim's Islamic teacher.

Charging documents state that Najjar had tutored the victim, a 16-year-old girl who had just completed 10th grade, and her three younger sisters for several years.

The teenager recounted how Najjar forced her to sit next to him in the staff room of her father's shop during Sunday Arabic lessons. There, under the pretext of reading the Koran, Najjar allegedly began his inappropriate contacts.

She described her experiences in detail, explaining that the touching began on her thigh and then spread beyond her clothing to her hips and genital area. During one encounter when they were alone, Najjar allegedly reached over her tank top and bra and grabbed her breast under the guise of a hug. The situation was abruptly interrupted when her father entered the room.

She also described a moment when Najjar's fingers slipped under the waistband of her sweatpants. The last incident, according to the victim's testimony, involved Najjar touching her thigh about a month before the forensic interview.

Eventually, the 16-year-old told her parents and a school therapist about the abuse she had suffered, which prompted her to report the incident to authorities.

Najjar has since been released on unsecured bail.

Investigators have released a photo of Najjar and are urging any other victims to contact SVID at (240) 773-5400. Those who prefer to remain anonymous can contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).