Twisted Uber driver-turned-flamethrower terrorist Mohamed Sabry Soliman's secret notes on hidden iPhone before attack
THE man suspected of a firebomb terrorist attack against peaceful Jewish protesters left secret notes on a hidden iPhone before the attack, according to court documents.
, 45,
and used a makeshift flamethrower at people gathered to raise awareness about
Israeli hostages in Gaza
- injuring 12 people.
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Mohamed Soliman, 45, pictured in his mugshot after appearing in court on Monday
Credit: Alamy
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Twelve people were injured in the attack, which Soliman said he spent a year planning
Credit: EPA
7
Soliman was seen holding bottles with clear liquid during the attack
Witnesses Soliman yelled "Free Palestine" as he used a converted garden sprayer as a flamethrower in the attack on Sunday.
He appeared in court on Monday facing a raft of state counts - including 16 counts of attempted murder - and could face a whopping 624 years behind bars if convicted all-round.
He has also been charged with a federal hate crime.
In custody, he admitted that he had planned the attack for a year, waiting until after his daughter had graduated to execute it, according to the FBI.
READ MORE ON THE ATTACK
And now, it has emerged that he hid an iPhone at his house containing secret messages addressed to his family, the affidavit reveals.
The device was hidden in a desk draw alongside a journal.
Soliman's wife brought an iPhone 14 with her to Colorado Springs Police Office in the wake of the attack, which she said belonged to him.
The content of the notes to his family is not known.
Most read in The US Sun
In a shocking development, it was also revealed that Soliman had hoped to pull off a mass shooting - which was only thwarted because his immigration status meant he couldn't buy a gun.
The suspect admitted to a detective he initially planned to gun down his targets, and had even taken a concealed-carry class where he learned how to fire a weapon.
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His US visa had expired - meaning he was unable to obtain a firearm, Judicial District Attorney Michael Dougherty said on Monday.
Soliman also made a series of disgusting remarks to cops, the document shows.
He told police that "he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead".
He also said he would carry out the attack again if given the opportunity.
The horrific fire attack happened at the Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder, where the group gathers weekly to bring attention to the hostages.
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Toys sit in front of the house where Soliman lived with his family in Colorado Springs
Credit: AP
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Soliman appears via video feed at court on Monday wearing an orange jumpsuit
Credit: Reuters
Soliman allegedly hid behind bushes near the mall and threw a Molotov cocktail into the crowd, burning himself in the process.
After taking off his shirt and revealing that he had a bulletproof vest underneath, Soliman allegedly used the flamethrower and gasoline to set several people on fire.
Video appeared to show him holding two clear bottles with a clear liquid in them as he yelled at onlookers.
Twelve people were injured in the attack, including an 88-year-old
Holocaust survivor
, and thankfully nobody died.
Around 30 peaceful demonstrators had gathered for a Run for Their Lives march, calling for the
release of all of the hostages
who remain in Gaza.
The condition of those wounded range from minor to "very serious", emergency services said.
The FBI said on Sunday: "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."
Soliman's bond is set at $10 million.
CHILLING FIND
More than a dozen unlit Molotov cocktails were found near where Soliman was arrested, said the FBI.
Inside his car, investigators found papers with the words "Israel," "Palestine," and "USAID."
Soliman told authorities that he made the Molotov cocktails at home after researching on YouTube.
"He stated that he had been planning the attack for a year and was waiting until after his daughter graduated to conduct the attack," said the FBI.
Soliman had been living in the US illegally after entering the country in August 2022 on a B2 visa that expired in February 2023, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
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The FBI rushed to the scene after reports started coming in
Credit: AP
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Soliman is confronted by a passerby
Credit: AP
Soliman filed for asylum in September 2022 and was given a work authorization in March 2023 that had expired, DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin
President Donald Trump blamed former President Joe Biden for the attack in a statement on Monday.
"Yesterday's horrific attack in Boulder, Colorado, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED in the United States of America," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"He came in through Biden's ridiculous Open Border Policy, which has hurt our Country so badly. He must go out under 'TRUMP' Policy.
The attack comes after two Israeli Embassy staffers were killed at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC.
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