Mohammed Sabry Soliman entered the country legally in 2022 but overstayed his visa, making him an illegal immigrant.
The suspect accused of a June 1 firebombing attack on peaceful pro-Israel demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, has been charged by federal officials with 16 counts of attempted murder, hate crimes, and a list of other charges, officials said on June 2.
The suspect, 45-year-old Mohammed Sabry Soliman, is facing both federal and state charges related to the attack, which left 12 injured. He first appeared in court on June 2 and was barred from contacting the victims of the attack. He will formally be charged with state criminal violations on June 5.
Speaking at a press conference prior to Soliman’s initial court appearance, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty revealed the long list of state charges the defendant is facing.
They include a total of 16 counts of attempted murder, including eight counts of attempted murder with intent and after deliberation, and eight counts of attempted murder with extreme indifference, carrying a combined maximum of up to 384 years in prison.
He’s also been charged with two counts of using an incendiary device, carrying a maximum penalty of up to 48 years in prison, and 16 additional counts of attempted use of an incendiary device—carrying the possibility of an additional 192 years in prison—due to the recovery of 16 unused molotov cocktails, Dougherty said.
For these state charges alone, Soliman has been given a $10 million cash-only bond.
Additionally, acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell announced that the federal government would charge Soliman with the commission of a hate crime under 18 U.S.C. § 249, which provides for heightened penalties when a violent crime is committed on the basis of protected characteristics. Because the offenses included attempted murder, Soliman is eligible for life in federal prison.
“We fully intend to hold Mr. Soliman accountable for his actions, and these charges are the first step,” Grewell said.
Soliman’s targets were allegedly demonstrators with the pro-Israel group “Run for Their Lives,” which pushes for the release of hostages still held by the Hamas terrorist group. He was allegedly heard to shout “Free Palestine” during the attack.
Grewell said that Soliman admitted during questioning that he had been planning the attack for a year, and would have used a firearm but was unable to obtain one because he is not a citizen.
Soliman appeared before a local court on June 2 via a Zoom call from the Boulder Jail, where he’s currently being held, while flanked by two officers.
Soliman’s attorney, public defender Kathryn Herold, said during the hearing that she would reserve any arguments regarding his bond conditions until a future date.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the White House said Soliman, an Egyptian national, entered the country legally in 2022 but overstayed his visa, making him an illegal immigrant.
Soliman violated the hate crime law “by throwing Molotov cocktails into a pro-Israel crowd while yelling ‘Free Palestine,’” Jessica Krueger, an FBI agent, wrote in an affidavit filed with the federal court in Colorado.
Soliman threw incendiary weapons into the crowd, leaving at least eight people with burn injuries, according to the affidavit.
