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15h ago

Boulder Molotov Attacker Indicted on 12 Federal Hate Crime Charges

Prosecutors allege Soliman used homemade firebombs alongside a makeshift flamethrower to target perceived Zionists at a pro-Israel rally ahead of his Friday court appearance.

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A woman places flowers at a makeshift memorial for victims of an attack outside of the Boulder County Courthouse Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Boulder, Colo.
Connor Russell sits on the grass next to flowers and a flag that have been left on fencing next to the scene of Sunday’s attack on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on Monday, June 2, 2025. Russell, a Boulder resident, said he came to the site to help him process what happened. “I have been having a hard time understanding how this happened here,” he said. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
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Overview

  • A federal grand jury in Denver charged Mohamed Sabry Soliman with nine hate crime counts under 18 U.S.C. § 249 and three explosives-related counts under 18 U.S.C. § 844(h), expanding on his initial single-count complaint.
  • Investigators say Soliman hurled two ignited Molotov cocktails at the Run for Their Lives demonstration on June 1 while shouting “Free Palestine,” injuring 15 people and a dog.
  • Authorities found a handwritten note in Soliman’s vehicle describing Israel as a “cancer entity” and declaring Zionism an enemy, supporting prosecutors’ view that he targeted victims based on perceived national origin.
  • Soliman also faces 118 state charges, including dozens of counts of attempted first-degree murder, and could receive a life sentence if convicted on federal counts.
  • His defense contends the attack was driven by opposition to the political ideology of Zionism rather than hatred of a protected group, a matter slated for jury determination.