An attack with a Molotov cocktail left eight people injured during a demonstration in support of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, held this Sunday (1st) in Boulder, Colorado, United States.
The information was disclosed by The New York Times, which found that the attacker was identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian citizen who was in the country illegally.
According to the FBI, the suspect had been planning the attack for a year and acted alone. He reportedly shouted “Free Palestine” before throwing two incendiary devices at protesters participating in the event known as Run for Their Lives, held weekly in several cities around the world. The march aims to draw attention to Israeli civilians kidnapped during the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel.
Eight people between 52 and 88 years old — four men and four women — suffered burns and other injuries. According to local authorities, two victims in serious condition had to be airlifted by helicopter to a specialized burn center in Denver. There are no records of deaths at this time.
Mohamed Soliman, 45, was arrested shortly after the attack, after being identified by witnesses. A video verified by the Storyful agency shows the suspect, shirtless and holding two bottles, shouting while patches of grass burned in front of the city courthouse. Amid the panic, bystanders tried to help the injured and extinguish the flames with improvised clothing.
During interrogation, Soliman told investigators that he wanted to “kill all the Zionists” and that “he wished they were all dead,” according to an excerpt from the deposition included in the FBI report. He also stated that his motivation was to prevent the group from “taking our land,” referring to Palestine.
Authorities found with him a gasoline can, at least 14 Molotov cocktails ready for use — made from wine bottles and Mason jars — and a poison sprayer adapted to spread fuel.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Soliman entered the country legally in August 2022 with a tourist visa but overstayed the allowed period, which expired in February 2023. He even applied for political asylum in September of that same year. Currently, he lives in Colorado Springs with his wife and five children.
Although the initial charges included two counts of first-degree murder, local authorities have not yet clarified the reasons for these charges, since no deaths were recorded. Soliman remains detained in Boulder County Jail, with bail set at $10 million.
The institutional response came in a harsh tone. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the attack was carried out “in cold blood” and demanded that the attacker be tried “to the fullest extent of the law.” He said the incident “was an antisemitic attack against peaceful people demonstrating solidarity with the Hamas hostages, simply because they were Jews.”
Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett also condemned the attack: “These members of the Jewish community were marching for peace and the release of the hostages, and they were brutally attacked. It is repugnant and disgusting.”
There is no evidence at this time that Soliman was linked to extremist groups or political organizations, as indicated by Mark D. Michalek, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Denver office.
Source: www.brasil247.com