Boulder Fire Attack Suspect Charged With 118 Criminal Counts
The suspect in the fire terror attack at a rally in Boulder, Colorado, who called for the return of Israeli hostages, has been formally charged with 118 criminal counts. NBC's Morgan Chesky reports for TODAY.
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Rubio imposes sanctions on four ICC judges for ‘targeting' US and Israel
The United States is placing sanctions on four judges from the international criminal court (ICC) for what it has called its 'illegitimate actions' targeting the United States and Israel. The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, announced the sanctions in a statement on Thursday. They target Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia. Donald Trump ordered cabinet officials to draw up sanctions against the ICC after the court issued arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. They were accused of overseeing an Israeli offensive during the Gaza conflict that caused famine and included the commission of war crimes. Two of the sanctioned judges authorised the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, and two authorised an ICC investigation into abuses by US personnel in Afghanistan. 'As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC's illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel,' Rubio said. 'The ICC is politicized and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies. This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel.' The decision to move forward with the sanctions will escalate Trump's feud with the court and other international organisations, which he has broadly dismissed as politicised. The US has already sanctioned the ICC's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, because of his role in pursuing the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. Those sanctions have led Khan to lose access to his email and his bank accounts have been frozen, the Associated Press reported earlier this month. Americans who work for The Hague-based court have been warned that they could be arrested if they set foot on American soil. In a statement, the ICC said it 'deplores' the new designations for sanctions. 'These measures are a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 states parties from all corners of the globe,' the ICC said. 'Targeting those working for accountability does nothing to help civilians trapped in conflict,' the statement continued. 'It only emboldens those who believe they can act with impunity. These sanctions are not only directed at designated individuals, they also target all those who support the court, including nationals and corporate entities of states parties. They are aimed against innocent victims in all situations before the court, as well as the rule of law, peace, security and the prevention of the gravest crimes that shock the conscience of humanity.' Danya Chaikel, the International Federation for Human Rights's representative to the ICC, said the types of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration were originally designed to 'disrupt terrorist networks like ISIS, weapons traffickers, and human rights abusers, not international justice institutions.' 'Using them against ICC officials represents a dangerous misuse of executive power and distorts their purpose … It sends the chilling message that enforcing accountability for mass atrocities can get you punished, while allegedly committing international crimes may get you protected. James Goldston, executive director of the Open Society's justice initiative and a former ICC prosecutor, said: 'As a court of last resort, the ICC is the one place victims of the most serious crimes can turn to when other avenues have failed them in their search for truth and justice. These new designations of ICC judges threaten their hopes and embolden the perpetrators. Sanctions against ICC officials are a betrayal of America's proud commitment to the rule of law and international justice.'
USA Today
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Boulder firebombing suspect charged with hate crime in federal court
Boulder firebombing suspect charged with hate crime in federal court Show Caption Hide Caption Authorities charged alleged Boulder attacker with attempted murder Authorities formally charged Mohamed Sabry Soliman with 118 criminal counts including dozens of attempted murder charges. The suspect in a Boulder, Colorado, attack on a gathering to support Israeli hostages in Gaza made an initial appearance on June 6 in federal court where he was formally charged with a hate crime. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, is accused of targeting the group at a pedestrian mall with Molotov cocktails and a makeshift flamethrower on June 1, according to a criminal complaint. He threw the makeshift firebombs at the Jewish demonstrators while he was shouting "Free Palestine," according to federal court filings detailing the suspected hate crime. Officials said 15 people between the ages of 25 and 88 were injured with burns. A judge ordered Soliman back in court on June 18 for a hearing where prosecutors will begin presenting evidence, according to court filings. Soliman appeared in court with an Arabic translator. Soliman, an Egyptian native who authorities said overstayed a tourist visa to the United States, also appeared in a state courtroom on June 5, where he was charged with another 118 criminal counts, including attempted murder, using explosive devices, attempting to use an incendiary device, assault on someone over the age of 70 and other charges. He's expected back in court for the state charges in July. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the attack was antisemitic. In a federal criminal complaint, authorities said Soliman admitted to investigators that "he wanted to kill all Zionist people" and wanted to stop them from taking over "our land," referring to Palestine. The federal hate crime charge could carry a sentence of up to life in prison if he is convicted. USA TODAY has reached out to Soliman's defense attorney for comment. 'We are better than this': Holocaust survivor burned in Boulder speaks after attack What happened in the Boulder attack? The attack happened the afternoon of June 1 at the Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder. The group Run for Their Lives was holding a weekly demonstration advocating for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants. Soliman, who told investigators he'd been planning the attack for a year, threw two lit Molotov cocktails into the crowd while yelling 'Free Palestine,' the federal criminal complaint said. When he was taken into custody, authorities found an additional 16 Molotov cocktails and a weed sprayer with gasoline. "As a result of these preliminary attacks, it is clear that this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism," Mark Michalek, special agent in charge at the FBI's Denver field office, said after the attack. The injured victims had burns that ranged from minor to serious. Three were still hospitalized, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said on June 5. Who is the suspect, Mohamed Soliman? Soliman, who lived in El Paso County, Colorado, has worked as an Uber driver and has five children. He told investigators that he waited for his daughter to graduate from high school before executing his planned attack, the criminal complaint said. Soliman entered the United States in August 2022 on a B-2 tourist visa that expired over two years ago, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. An affidavit said he was born in Egypt and lived in Kuwait for 17 years before moving to Colorado. McLaughlin said Soliman applied for asylum in September 2022. He tried to purchase a gun but opted to use the incendiary devices instead when he realized he couldn't buy a gun legally because of his citizenship status, according to the court records. He also said he learned how to make the Molotov cocktails online. Soliman told law enforcement he left an iPhone at the house, hidden in a desk drawer, with messages to his family. He also left behind a journal, the criminal complaint said. Family faces possible deportation Soliman's wife and five children were detained by immigration officials after his arrest and faced immediate deportation, Trump administration officials said. A federal judge temporarily blocked them from being deported on June 4. U.S. District Court Judge Gordon Gallagher said deporting the family without adequate process could cause "irreparable harm." FBI and police officials said the family has cooperated with investigators, and Soliman said his family had no knowledge of his plans. The visas of his wife and five children have been revoked, multiple media outlets including the New York Times reported. His daughter Habiba Soliman graduated from high school on May 29 and said she hoped to attend medical school. Her father told investigators he waited until after her graduation to carry out the attack.
Yahoo
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Greta Thunberg's Gaza flotilla could reach Israeli waters over the weekend: What you need to know
Greta Thunberg's Gaza Freedom Flotilla is edging closer to Israeli waters, but will they actually make it? Five days after climate activist Greta Thunberg set sail Sunday afternoon along with 11 other activists on a ship carrying aid to Gaza, the group could soon near Israeli waters. Israeli officials have vowed not to allow the ship, called the Madleen, to dock. The country's navy is reportedly preparing to rebuff the ship and, if necessary, arrest its passengers. The group is carrying supplies for Gazan Palestinians and protesting what they say is 'Israel's 'illegal, decades-long blockade, and ongoing genocide' in the enclave. Their voyage is operated by the pro-Palestinian nonprofit Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which has staged other naval efforts to reach Gaza by sea over the last 15 years. The latest trip, which departed from Sicily and detoured to pick up Sudanese refugees, comes as the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza turns 20 months old and includes Thunberg, one of the most prominent progressive activists in the world. Here's what you need to know in advance of a possible showdown on the high seas. The trip comes amid widespread criticism of Israel's handling of aid to Gaza, where 2 million Palestinians live and where Israel has been fighting Hamas, the governing authority, since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered 'basic aid' to enter Gaza last month amid growing concerns about starvation following Israel's months-long aid blockade. Since Netanyahu's announcement, aid distribution in Gaza has since faced multiple setbacks, including deadly shootings at aid distribution sites. According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Madleen is carrying baby formula, flour, rice, diapers, women's sanitary products, water desalination kits, medical supplies, crutches and children's prosthetics. 'We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying,' Thunberg said during a press conference ahead of the voyage. 'Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity,' she continued. 'And no matter how dangerous this mission is, it's not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide.' London has so far rejected requests by Israel to deter the Madleen, which is flying under a UK flag, from approaching Israeli waters, according to the Times of Israel. Last month, the leaders of France and the United Kingdom issued statements condemning Israel's blockade on aid to Gaza and continued offensive and vowing to take 'concrete actions' if they continue. The group has drawn support from pro-Palestinian advocates around the world. The human rights group Amnesty International, for example, called the voyage 'an important solidarity initiative that will help to keep the spotlight on Israel's illegal and suffocating blockade of the occupied Gaza Strip amidst its ongoing genocide.' But critics of the group have pilloried them for engaging in performative activism that is unlikely to achieve any results for Palestinian civilians. An Israeli official reportedly referred to the Madleen as the 'selfie flotilla,' for example. It has also added to concerns over whether Thunberg's increasing focus on Israel is distracting from her leadership on climate change. Thunberg has sparred with her critics. After Sen. Lindsay Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, tweeted, 'Hope Greta and her friends can swim!' Thunberg said on the progressive radio show Democracy Now, 'We can swim very well.' Following two successful independent voyages that reached Gaza in 2008, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition was founded in 2010 to protest Israel's blockade of Gaza. It operates a small fleet of ships that have tried — but rarely if ever succeeded — to bring aid and supplies by sea to the Gaza Strip. In the group's first mission, in 2010, a Turkish flotilla ship called the Mavi Marmara was raided by the Israeli military during an aid mission, and nine people on board were killed. Subsequent efforts in past years were intercepted, and their passengers were detained and deported. Last month, one of the ships in the group's fleet, the Conscience, was hit by two alleged drones just outside of Malta's territorial waters. The group accused Israel of perpetrating the attacks. Israel has declined to comment. An Israeli cargo aircraft reportedly flew at a relatively low altitude over eastern Malta several hours before the reported attack, according to flight data reviewed by CNN. The IDF declined to comment to CNN about the flight data. Thunberg told USA Today that she was supposed to be on the Conscience voyage but had stayed behind. Including Thunberg, there are 12 activists and journalists on board the Madleen, which is named for what the group says is Gaza's only female professional fisherwoman. Among them is Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. Hassan is of Palestinian descent and was barred from entering Israel in February due to her active opposition to the conflict in Gaza and support for the BDS movement. Others on board the Madleen come from at least half a dozen countries, according to a press release from the FFC. They include: Yasemin Acar, a German pro-Palestinian activist. Baptiste Andre, a physician from France. Thiago Avila, an activist from Brazil. Omar Faiad, an Al Jazeera correspondent. Pascal Maurieras, a French activist. Yanis Mhamdi, a journalist-director at Blast, a French independent media outlet. Şuayb Ordu, a Turkish activist. Reva Viard, an activist from France. Sergio Toribio, a crew member from Spain. Marco Van Rennes, a crew member from the Netherlands. 'Game of Thrones' actor Liam Cunningham was among the crowd of spectators who gathered in solidarity with the crew of the Madleen to bid them farewell in Catania, Sicily. 'Governments are not standing up for what their legal obligations are under international law, so it takes a disparate group like this to try and achieve it,' said Cunningham in a post on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla's Instagram account. 'Anybody who was fearful of using the word genocide, that's gone now.' If it is not intercepted, the Madleen could reach Gaza sometime over the weekend, according to a post on X early Friday morning by the International Committee to Break the Siege, which was reposted by FFC. 'We're on our way to Gaza — expected to arrive in about 48 hours,' the post read. 'These next hours are critical. Your voice is our protection. Let apartheid Israel know: the world is watching. Your silence gives them cover. Don't stay silent.' But the IDF has said it does not intend to allow the ship to dock. The Jerusalem Post reported that military officials said the ship will be warned not to enter the area, and if they defy orders, the IDF may take over the ship and arrest them. The protesters would then be transferred to the Ashdod port and deported, according to officials. The 'IDF is prepared to operate on all fronts, including in the maritime arena,' a spokesman, Effie Defrin, said this week. He added, 'We will act accordingly.'
