The man accused of carrying out a firebomb attack during a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado, has been charged with a federal hate crime and multiple state offenses, including 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder, according to court documents released Monday.
Mohamed Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian national, is accused of injuring 12 people after allegedly hurling Molotov cocktails and using a makeshift flamethrower during a peaceful demonstration at a pedestrian mall on Sunday afternoon. Federal authorities have classified the incident as a suspected act of terrorism.
According to federal filings, Soliman told investigators he had learned how to make Molotov cocktails by watching YouTube tutorials. He admitted to purchasing materials, constructing the incendiary devices, and planning the attack for over a year.
State court documents further reveal that Soliman originally intended to use a firearm but was denied the purchase because he is not a legal U.S. citizen. He later enrolled in a concealed carry course but ultimately opted to use Molotov cocktails instead.
Authorities say Soliman disguised himself as a gardener to get close to the crowd. Dressed in work clothes, he allegedly carried eight gasoline-filled glass containers in a black storage bin. He reportedly told police, “I wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead,” adding that he would carry out such an attack again.
Soliman also claimed his actions were politically motivated and not directed at the Jewish community as a whole, stating his target was “the Zionist group supporting the killings of people on his land (Palestine).”
The suspect, described as a husband and father of five, allegedly delayed the attack until his daughter graduated from high school last Thursday. He told authorities he had expected to die during the incident and had shared his plans with no one.
Soliman made his first court appearance Monday via video from the Boulder County Jail. A judge maintained his bond at $10 million and issued a protective order barring him from contacting the victims. He is scheduled to return to court Thursday for the formal filing of charges.
According to court documents, Soliman drove approximately 100 miles from his home in Colorado Springs to Boulder on the day of the attack, stopping at a gas station to purchase fuel. Witnesses and video footage showed him yelling “Free Palestine” and other slogans as he threw the devices.
A video posted online during the incident captured Soliman holding what appeared to be Molotov cocktails and shouting phrases such as “How many children killed?” and “End Zionist.”
Despite preparing multiple incendiary devices, Soliman allegedly told investigators he only threw two because he became frightened during the attack. The FBI and local law enforcement continue to investigate the incident.
