Mohammed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian national, faces multiple charges, including federal hate crimes, for attacking pro-Israel demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado. Investigators claim Soliman had planned the assault for a year and targeted the group due to his opposition to Zionism, showcasing a concerning trend of violence against the Jewish community amid ongoing global tensions.
Year-Long Plot: Colorado Man Charged in Hate-Fueled Attack on Pro-Israel Demonstrators
Year-Long Plot: Colorado Man Charged in Hate-Fueled Attack on Pro-Israel Demonstrators
The FBI reveals that Mohammed Sabry Soliman planned a violent attack on pro-Israel demonstrators in Colorado, resulting in injuries to eight individuals.
A man in Colorado is facing serious charges after he allegedly attacked pro-Israel demonstrators with incendiary devices, a planned assault that reportedly took him a year to prepare. Mohammed Sabry Soliman, 45, has been charged with a federal hate crime, along with state charges of attempted murder, assault, and use of an explosive device. During a court appearance on Monday, he was seen in an orange jumpsuit, responding briefly to procedural questions but otherwise remaining silent.
According to FBI statements, Soliman targeted a demonstration held at Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, which advocated for Israeli hostages. Eyewitness accounts detailed a chaotic scene as he threw two Molotov cocktails into the crowd while shouting "Free Palestine," resulting in injuries to eight attendees, with four requiring hospitalization. Police discovered an additional 16 unlit Molotov cocktails near the scene, and Soliman was found to have prepared a weed sprayer filled with octane gasoline as well.
Investigators reported that Soliman was motivated by a desire to harm those he perceived as "Zionists," claiming to have been influenced by online videos that demonstrated how to create Molotov cocktails. He reportedly confessed to planning the attack to occur after his daughter’s high school graduation. Notably, he had been unable to acquire firearms due to his immigration status, prompting him to resort to incendiary devices instead.
Boulder Police indicated that Soliman arrived shortly before the protest began and had been monitoring the group’s activities online prior to his attack. The incident coincided with Shavuot, a Jewish holiday, heightening the attack's significance in the context of rising antisemitism in the United States.
In response to the attack, local and national leaders emphasized a need for stricter immigration enforcement against individuals perceived as threats. Recent years have seen a troubling increase in violence against Jewish communities, paralleling a rise in tensions surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Soliman’s immigration history revealed that he arrived in the U.S. on a temporary visa in early 2022 and filed for asylum the following month. As investigations continue, the implications of his actions extend beyond the immediate victims, raising questions about national security, the treatment of asylum seekers, and the escalation of hate crimes in America.
