Neighbor recalls Boulder terror attack suspect as a family man

Yahoo

2 days ago

The Boulder, Colorado, terrorist attack suspect's neighbor called him a "really nice guy" and a family man.
Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, faced a federal hate crime charge, as well as state charges of attempted first-degree murder, crimes against at-risk adults/elderly, assault, criminal attempt to commit class one and class two felonies and use of explosives or incendiary devices during a felony in connection with the Sunday attack that left 12 people injured.
Soliman is accused of throwing "two lit Molotov cocktails at individuals participating in a pro-Israel gathering near the Boulder Courthouse," federal court documents state.
"Wow," the neighbor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Fox News Digital when informed about Soliman's alleged actions. "He was a really nice guy. He was our neighbor."
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Soliman was married with five children, who played with other neighborhood children in Boulder.
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The suspect told authorities during an interview after the incident that "he had been planning the attack for a year and was waiting until after his daughter graduated to conduct the attack," the complaint states.
"They were really nice people," the neighbor said. "Every time we were outside, they'd say, 'Hi, how are you?' They invited us over their house."
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The neighbor added that Soliman's wife was a "stay-at-home mom" and "a good cook." She would "give food to the neighbors." The neighbor specifically recalled Soliman's wife giving food to other neighbors during Ramadan, a Muslim holy month.
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Soliman was living in the United States illegally after entering on a work visa two years ago that has since expired, according to federal officials.
Soliman "was working for Uber and not home that often," the neighbor said. Uber confirmed to Fox News Digital that Soliman began working for the rideshare platform in 2023.
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The company further noted that all drivers must meet numerous eligibility requirements, including passing a criminal and driving history background check, providing a photo ID, and holding a valid Social Security number. Soliman met all the requirements per Colorado state law, Uber said.
Soliman also had no concerning feedback while driving for the platform, according to Uber, which has since banned his driver's account and contacted law enforcement.
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A federal complaint says Soliman "traveled to Boulder, Colorado, in his vehicle with the Molotov cocktails and threw two of the cocktails at individuals participating in a pro-Israel gathering," the complaint states. "He also stated that he picked up gas at a gas station on the way to Boulder. He stated that he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead.
"He specifically targeted the 'Zionist Group' that had gathered in Boulder having learned about the group from an online search. SOLIMAN knew that they planned to meet… Sunday, June 1 at 1pm. He arrived at approximately 12:55 p.m. and waited for them. Throughout the interview, SOLIMAN stated that he hated the Zionist group and did this because he hated this group and needed to stop them from taking over 'our land,' which he explained to be Palestine," the complaint states.
He also allegedly stated "he would do it…again."
Soliman was booked into the Boulder County Jail on Sunday evening and remains held on a $10 million bond.
Fox News' Louis Casiano, Bill Melugin and Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.Original article source: Neighbor recalls Boulder terror attack suspect as a family man