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The wife and five children of the man who was accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at a Boulder, Colorado demonstrator, and accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail are in custody by federal immigration authorities, Homeland Security Secretary Christie Nom said Tuesday.
Federal officials are also investigating whether Mohamed Sabri Soliman’s family knew about his plans, Noem said in a post on X.
Federal officials say Soliman, who is an illegally Egyptian citizen in the United States, is accused of throwing agitators at a group that has injured 12 people in a group that has sought the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. He faces state and federal charges in connection with the attack.
Soliman had planned to kill all the protesters, but he clearly rethinks it, authorities said.
Soliman, disguised as a gardener, had 18 Molotov cocktails, but threw only two during the attack, which cried out “Free Palestine” during Sunday’s attack. Soliman, 45, did not carry out his full plan “as he was scared and he didn’t hurt anyone before.”
The two burnt Cen devices he threw to a group of about 20 people who held weekly demonstrations were enough to hurt more than half of them, and authorities said he did not express any regrets about the attack.
Soliman, an Egyptian citizen named Mohammed in several court documents, has planned an attack for over a year, specifically targeting what he described as a “Zionist group,” authorities said in court documents indicting him with federal hate crimes.
At least eight people were injured on Sunday at a rally of Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colorado, after a man burned out using a makeshift burn device.
“When he was interviewed about the attack, he said he wanted them all to die, he didn’t regret it and he would do it again,” J. Bishop Gruwell, our attorney in Colorado, told a news conference Monday.
Federal and state prosecutors filed separate criminal cases against Soliman, prosecuting him with hate crimes and attempted murder, respectively. He faces additional state charges related to agitators, and more charges are possible in federal courts where the Department of Justice seeks to indict a large ju trial.
Soliman is being held on $10 million bonds. His attorney, Kathryn Herold, declined to comment Monday after a hearing that appeared before a state judge. His next hearing will be on Thursday.
According to an FBI affidavit, Soliman told police he was driven by a desire to “kill all Zionist people.” A reference to a movement to establish and protect Israel’s Jewish state.
The attacks at the popular Pearl Street pedestrian mall in downtown Boulder unfold against the backdrop of the Israeli Hamas War. The attack took place at the beginning of the Jewish holiday in Shabuott after a man who cried “Free Palestine” was charged with fatally shooting and killing two Israeli embassy staff outside a Jewish museum in Washington.
Six victims have been hospitalized
The victims ranged from 52 to 88 years old, and their injuries ranged from serious to minors, officials said.
Six victims were initially taken to hospital, and three remained admitted at University of Colorado Hospital on CU Anschutz Medical Campus on Tuesday, hospital spokesperson Kelly Christensen said. She refused to provide information about their terms and said they requested privacy.
Members of a volunteer group called Run for Thir’s Life were attacked while holding weekly demonstrations. Video shot by San Diego witness Alex Osante shows people pouring water on a woman lying on the ground who Osante said she had caused a fire during the attack.
Molotov cocktail found
Osante said it was clearly on fire when the assailant threw two agitators and then threw the second. The man fell to the ground and was arrested without obvious resistance in the video filmed.
The Molotov cocktail consisted of glass wine caraph bottles or bottles with clear liquid and red rags hanging from them, the FBI said.
“He said he had planned an attack for a year and waited until his daughter graduated and made the attack,” the affidavit said.
He had gas in his backpack sprayer, but told investigators he had no spraying anything but himself, saying “I was planning on dying.”
Soliman also told investigators he took a hidden carry class and tried to buy a gun, but was denied because he was not a US citizen.
Authorities said they believe Soliman acted alone. He was injured and taken to the hospital. Authorities did not elaborate on the nature of his injuries, but the photo on the booking showed him having a large bandage in one ear.
Soliman entered the country in August 2022 on a B-2 visa that expired in February 2023, and lives illegally with Homeland Security Director Tricia McLaughlin, and in a post from X, Soliman filed for asylum in September 2022 and was granted work approval in March 2023. DHS did not respond to requests for additional information.
According to court documents, Soliman, born in Egypt, moved to Colorado Springs three years ago, where he lived with his wife and five children. He previously lived in Kuwait for 17 years.
Tucker reported from Washington.
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