Latest news with #MohammedSabrySoliman
American Military News
11-06-2025
- American Military News
‘Antisemitic terror attack' on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall planned for a year, FBI says; 4 new victims found
The man accused of injuring 12 people on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall with a 'makeshift flamethrower' and Molotov cocktails spent more than a year planning the 'targeted act of violence' against a group calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, law enforcement officials said Monday. Mohammed Sabry Soliman, 45, intended to carry out a mass shooting in downtown Boulder and only switched to an explosive plan after he was denied a gun because of his immigration status, county investigators said in an arrest affidavit. Mohammed Sabry Soliman was booked into Boulder County Jail late Sunday night on suspicion of eight felonies, including murder and assault, and is being held on a $10 million bond, according to jail records. (Boulder Police Department/TNS) Police identified four additional victims in the attack on Monday, bringing the total to 12, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said during an afternoon briefing. The four additional victims had minor injuries, Boulder police Chief Stephen Redfearn said. Two people injured in the attack are still hospitalized. Officials could not say whether any of the victims were bystanders. Soliman drove from Castle Rock to the Pearl Street Mall armed with 18 Molotov cocktails and a backpack weed sprayer filled with gasoline that he planned to use to kill a group of demonstrators who regularly walk in front of the courthouse, according to court records. He threw two of the Molotov cocktails and police recovered another 16 at the scene, Dougherty said. Soliman, an Egyptian citizen living in Colorado illegally, was charged with a federal hate crime in Sunday's attack, according to an FBI arrest affidavit. The U.S. Department of Justice characterized the weekend incident as an 'antisemitic terror attack.' If convicted, Soliman could spend up to life in prison, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado J. Bishop Grewell said Monday afternoon. The U.S. attorney's office may file additional charges in the case, Grewell said. Soliman was also arrested on suspicion of 42 state felony charges, according to the Boulder County arrest affidavit. The state charges under investigation are: —Eight counts of attempted first-degree murder after deliberation, —Eight counts of attempted first-degree murder with extreme indifference, —Six counts of first-degree assault of an at-risk or elderly victim, —Two counts of first-degree assault, —Two counts of possession of an incendiary device, —And 16 counts of attempted possession of an incendiary device. If he is convicted on all counts, he faces up to 624 years in prison. Soliman on Monday afternoon appeared virtually in court at the Boulder County Jail for his first appearance with a bandage around his head covering both ears in an orange jumpsuit. Judge Nancy W. Salomone advised that he should have no contact with any of the victims in the case, per his protection order. She made no changes to his $10 million bail. During the hearing, the jail was on lockdown and inmates could not leave their cells to free deputies to monitor the courtroom and the jail's entrance. At least three snipers were also stationed on the roof of the jail. Boulder County prosecutors will file additional charges later this week for the four victims identified Monday, Dougherty said. Boulder police had not encountered the suspect before Sunday and he was not on the FBI's radar, Redfearn and Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek said. 'We stand united in denouncing hate, terror and violence in this community,' Dougherty said Monday afternoon. 'We stand united in condemning acts of antisemitism, hate and violence, and we're also united in a strong response to this horrific attack.' Federal officials said Soliman was living in Colorado Springs illegally with his wife and five children after overstaying a tourist visa that expired in 2023. Officials said the family cooperated with a search warrant and deferred questions about their immigration status to the Department of Homeland Security. Soliman told investigators that he waited for a year to attack the group because he wanted his daughter to graduate from high school first, according to his arrest affidavit. The group he targeted, Run for Their Lives, is a national movement calling for the release of Israeli hostages held by the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza. 'When he was interviewed about the attack, he said he wanted them all to die, he had no regrets and he would go back and do it again,' Grewell said. The Boulder chapter was hosting its weekly walk on the Pearl Street Mall, scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, when Soliman attacked its members outside the courthouse. Soliman told federal officials he arrived at 12:55 p.m. and waited for the group to reach him, according to court documents. To get as close to the group as possible, officials said Soliman dressed like a gardener. He wore an orange vest and bought flowers from Home Depot. The attack happened just before the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which began at sundown on Sunday. Soliman planned for more than a year and specifically targeted Boulder's Run for Their Lives chapter, which Soliman called a 'Zionist group,' federal officials said. Soliman told law enforcement 'that he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead,' the affidavit stated. The 45-year-old told investigators that he didn't expect to survive the attack, according to court documents. He sprayed himself with gasoline and expected to burn alongside his victims. 'No American should experience violence motivated by hatred based on their faith or national origin, and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice will act swiftly and decisively to bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice,' Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said in a statement. 'There can be zero tolerance for such acts in our great nation.' The Molotov cocktails were made with bottles and jars, filled with gasoline and had red rags hanging out, according to the document. The backpack weed sprayer was found near the box of explosives. Investigators found rags, a red gas container and paperwork with the words 'Israel,' 'Palestine' and 'USAID' inside Soliman's car, which was parked behind a church at 13th and Spruce streets, the affidavit stated. ___ © 2025 MediaNews Group, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LL
Fox News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
113 House Dems vote against GOP resolution condemn Boulder attack on pro-Israel activists
More than 100 Democrats voted against a House GOP-led resolution to condemn the accused terror attack in Boulder, Colorado. It passed 280 – 113, with 75 Democrats joining Republicans to vote for the bill. Six lawmakers – five Democrats and one Republican – voted "present." The legislation was introduced by Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., last week in response to the attack. But Democratic lawmakers made clear they were opposed to language in the resolution that they felt was politically charged. In addition to condemning the attack, Evans' resolution also appeared to rebuke blue-leaning sanctuary jurisdictions that were at odds with federal immigration authorities – while condemning illegal immigrants who overstay their visas as well. A second bill – led by Reps. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., and Joe Neguse, D-Colo. – more broadly condemning the rise in anti-semitic attacks in the U.S. That legislation netted much wider bipartisan support, passing 400 – 0, with just two lawmakers voting "present." But Evans' resolution more specifically noted the case of terror suspect Mohammed Sabry Soliman, who overstayed a tourist visa and a subsequent work authorization, "demonstrates the dangers of not removing from the country aliens who fail to comply with the terms of their visas." The Egyptian national is facing federal charges after allegedly attempting to set fire to peaceful demonstrators who were protesting Hamas' continued possession of Israeli hostages in Gaza. The Trump administration has vowed that he and his family will be deported from the U.S. Evans' resolution also "affirms that free and open communication between State and local law enforcement and their Federal counterparts remains the bedrock of public safety and is necessary in preventing terrorist attacks" and it "expresses gratitude to law enforcement officers, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, for protecting the homeland." It comes as Democrat-controlled cities like Los Angeles and Nashville have seen their leaders criticize the Trump administration's ICE crackdown. The Trump administration's handling of anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles has spurred an outpouring of scorn from Democratic officials, particularly the decision to send National Guard troops in to break up the demonstrations. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., criticized Evans' resolution in comments to reporters on Monday. "Who is this guy? He's not seriously concerned with combating anti-Semitism in America. This is not a serious effort," Jeffries said. "Anti-semitism is a scourge on America. It shouldn't be weaponized politically." Jeffries also called Evans "a joke." Evans responded forcefully on X, "I served our nation in uniform in the Middle East, as a cop in Colorado, & now as a Congressman. This wildly offensive sentiment from Democrat's Leader is why antisemitism persists. The Left is unserious about finding real solutions." Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., who is Jewish, also criticized Evans' resolution. "You weren't here, Mr. Evans, last term – but there were about ten anti-Semitism resolutions that effectively said the same thing, solely to score political points. We Jews are sick and tired of being used as pawns," Goldman said during debate on the bill. But Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., who is leading a bipartisan resolution that similarly condemns anti-semitism but does not discuss immigration, defended Evans' measure. "Yes, it is different than mine. Mine focused purely on anti-Semitism here in the world. But he brings up a valid point not only for Jews, but for many innocent victims. Whether it was Laken Riley, whether it was the women that were raped, the women and men that were killed, those that were beaten, those that were hurt, who were in law enforcement. Illegal immigration is not a good thing," Van Drew said. The two lawmakers who voted "present" on Van Drew's resolution were Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. Greene wrote on X after the vote, "Antisemitic hate crimes are wrong, but so are all hate crimes. Yet Congress never votes on hate crimes committed against white people, Christians, men, the homeless, or countless others. Tonight, the House passed two more antisemitism-related resolutions, the 20th and 21st I've voted on since taking office. Meanwhile, Americans from every background are being murdered — even in the womb — and Congress stays silent."
Arab News
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
American anger should not stop at Israel's border
An Egyptian immigrant who had overstayed his visa in the US and was angry with Israel's killings in Gaza was last week arrested and charged with a hate crime after he threw firebombs at a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, Colorado. Americans are angry about the attack, which has been presented as another act of Arab and Muslim terrorism and an act of antisemitism because the targets were supporting the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The suspect, identified as Mohammed Sabry Soliman, told police after his capture that he was angry at what Israel and the 'Zionists' were doing to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Soliman also told investigators that he wanted to 'kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead,' according to court documents. No act of violence should be condoned or encouraged. Eight people suffered severe burns and were hospitalized as a result of the attack, during which Soliman yelled 'Free Palestine.' The attack is tragic in many ways. What Soliman did was wrong. Violence is never justifiable. Injuring innocent people over a political issue or government policies is immoral as well as illegal. The problem is that Americans are the biggest hypocrites when it comes to the rule of law. Americans are the worst when it comes to embracing consistent morality. Americans scream when someone commits an act of aggression against them, but are silent when their country's actions fuel acts of aggression against others. The hypocrisy of how Americans respond to violence is one of the greatest inhumanities in the world today. Soliman was clearly motivated by American hypocrisy over US policy in the Gaza Strip. When you examine the Arab-Israeli conflict honestly and fully, you can only conclude that America has been the major enabler of violence in the Middle East — but only in one direction: against any person or nation that challenges Israel. Americans rightly condemn Soliman for his act of violence. But they refuse to condemn Israel's government for its violence. Ray Hanania America funds Israel. America arms Israel. America protects Israel against attempts to punish it for its war crimes. America is complicit in Israel's killing of innocent people — women and children who are just as innocent as those injured by Soliman. Instead of addressing this hypocrisy by enforcing international law and the fundamental principles of morality fairly and across the board in all circumstances, Americans selectively decide who they should feel sorry for and who they should condemn. They rightly condemn Soliman for his act of violence. But they refuse to condemn Israel's government for its violence. In fact, Americans give Israel protection against criminal prosecution for violating the basic principles of the international rule of law. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his war crimes in Gaza. But instead of enforcing this and arresting Netanyahu, America instead announced sanctions against members of the court. You cannot cry about crime when the victim is someone you sympathize with and ignore crime when the victim is someone you are helping to injure and kill. Most people in the world know this. I just returned from a tour through Europe and I was astounded by how much sympathy Europeans have for the Palestinian cause and how much anger they harbor toward Israel, which has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. The killings continue every day. But the difference is, when an Egyptian blinded by anger and rage over the massacre of women and children in Gaza commits a heinous crime, Americans scream in outrage. But when an Israeli soldier intentionally shoots a female Arab journalist in the head or drops a bomb on a Gaza tent city, massacring dozens of starving civilians, Americans shrug their shoulders. Americans also apply certain terms differently. A 'hostage' is an Israeli who has been illegally captured by Palestinians. But the same word is not used to describe a Palestinian illegally captured by Israel. I am angry with what Soliman did. But my anger does not stop on the border with Israel. My anger goes beyond that one tragic and horrendous act of violence in Colorado to also reflect the inhumanity of the Israeli violence in Gaza, which is paid for by America. Justice must be for everyone, not just those we embrace politically.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republicans Prepare Bill Declaring 'Free Palestine' Is Antisemitic
The House of Representatives is trying to pass a resolution making the term 'Free Palestine' an official antisemitic slogan. Republican Representative Gabe Evans from Colorado introduced the resolution in the wake of the attack on a gathering for Israeli hostages in Boulder this week. Mohammed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national, has been charged for the attack, during which he yelled 'Free Palestine,' according to the FBI. 'Whereas, while shouting 'Free Palestine,' an antisemitic slogan that calls for the destruction of the state of Israel and Jewish people, Mohammed Sabry Soliman attacked the peaceful demonstrators with homemade Molotov cocktails,' the resolution reads. House Republicans are expected to vote on the nonbinding resolution next week. The term 'free Palestine' has been a touchy subject among liberal and conservative Zionists alike, as they have long deemed even saying it to be antisemitic hate speech against Jews rather than an acknowledgment of the decades of displacement, destruction, death, and apartheid that Palestinians have suffered at the hands of the Israeli government. This right-wing attack on free speech clearly demonstrates the hypocrisy of these 'anti-woke' Republicans who love to wax poetic about the land of the free while kidnapping students off the streets for writing op-eds. Now this resolution seeks to further entrench the flawed logic that the Jewish religion and culture and the Israeli government that has been starving and bombing Palestinians are one and the same. Anyone who votes against this bill in an attempt to protect free speech will be labeled a terrorist sympathizer.
American Military News
06-06-2025
- Politics
- American Military News
Suspect in Boulder antisemitic terror attack charged with 118 counts including attempted murder
Boulder County's district attorney on Thursday formally charged the suspect in the Pearl Street Mall terror attack with more than 100 counts related to the antisemitic firebombing that injured 15 people and a dog. Mohammed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian immigrant who officials say was living in the U.S. illegally after overstaying a tourist visa, faces 118 charges, including attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault. He also faces a federal hate crime count in connection with the attack. Soliman, who is being held on $10 million bail, is accused of shouting 'Free Palestine' and using a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails to burn people gathered on the popular pedestrian mall for a weekly demonstration urging the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Federal immigration authorities on Tuesday detained Soliman's wife and five children and attempted to place them in expedited removal proceedings. A federal judge in Denver issued an order Wednesday temporarily halting their deportation. All 15 victims are expected to survive, Boulder officials have said. Their ages range from 25 to 88, and include eight women and seven men. Three people remained in the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital's burn unit on Thursday, a spokesperson said. The attack has rattled Colorado's Jewish community, prompting increased security at synagogues, community centers and other gatherings. Soliman planned the attack for over a year and initially sought to carry out a mass shooting against the group, law enforcement officials said. He switched to Molotov cocktails and a makeshift flamethrower after he could not buy a gun because of his immigration status. ___ © 2025 MediaNews Group, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
