Latest news with #MohamedSabrySoliman
Arab News
16-07-2025
- Arab News
State prosecution in firebombing attack on demonstration for Israeli hostages moves ahead
DENVER: A judge ruled Tuesday that Colorado prosecutors can move ahead with their case against a man accused of killing one person and injuring a dozen more in a firebomb attack on demonstrators showing support for Israeli hostages in Gaza. A police detective had been set to testify at a hearing explaining the evidence gathered against Mohamed Sabry Soliman in the June 1 attack on the weekly event in Boulder. But Soliman's lawyer, Kathryn Herold, told Judge Nancy W. Salomone that he gave up his right to hear the evidence. Soliman, wearing an orange and white striped jail uniform, told Salomone that he understood he was waiving his right to a hearing following a discussion with his lawyers Monday. Despite that, prosecutors and victims who sat across the courtroom from Soliman or watched the hearing online were caught off guard by the decision. Salomone said the case would now move ahead to an arraignment and scheduled a Sept. 9 hearing for Soliman to enter a plea to murder, attempted murder and other charges over the defense's objection. Herold said Soliman would not be ready to enter a plea then because of the large amount of evidence in the case and the murder charges recently added against him following the death of Karen Diamond, an 82-year-old woman injured in the attack. Herold said she expected to ask for the arraignment hearing to be delayed and suggested that a plea deal was possible. 20th Judicial District Attorney Michael Dougherty objected to a delay, saying any discussions could happen before and after an arraignment. He declined to comment on the possibility of a deal after the hearing. Investigators say Soliman told them he intended to kill the roughly 20 participants at the weekly event on Boulder's Pearl Street pedestrian mall. But he threw just two of more than two dozen Molotov cocktails he had with him while yelling, 'Free Palestine!' Police said he told them he got scared because he had never hurt anyone before. Federal authorities say Soliman, an Egyptian national, had been living in the US illegally with his family at the time. Soliman has pleaded not guilty to federal hate crime charges and is scheduled to go on trial in federal court in Denver in September. However, his lawyers told US District Judge John L. Kane last week that they expect to ask for a delay. Additional charges related to Diamond's death could also slow down the federal proceedings. Assistant US Attorney Laura Cramer-Babycz told Kane that prosecutors have not decided yet whether to file additional charges against Soliman. Federal prosecutors allege the victims were targeted because of their perceived or actual connection to Israel. But Soliman's federal defense lawyers say he should not have been charged with hate crimes because the evidence shows he was motivated by opposition to Zionism, the political movement to establish and sustain a Jewish state in Israel. An attack motivated by someone's political views is not considered a hate crime under federal law. State prosecutors have identified 29 victims in the attack. Thirteen of them were physically injured, and the others were nearby and are considered victims because they could have been hurt. A dog was also injured in the attack, so Soliman has also been charged with animal cruelty.
Time Magazine
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Colorado Firebomb Attack Case Moving Forward: What to Know
Prosecutors' case against the man accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at a crowd of demonstrators in Boulder, Colo., who were calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza will move ahead after the suspect waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Tuesday. The hearing was intended to assess whether there was enough evidence for the suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, to stand trial. But Soliman's lawyer told the judge he would give up his right to hear the evidence, the Associated Press reported, and the judge ruled that prosecutors could proceed with their case. An arraignment hearing, where Soliman will enter a plea in the state case, is scheduled for September 9. Soliman, 45, faces a total of more than 150 state charges and 12 federal hate crime counts after allegedly throwing an incendiary device towards a crowd of demonstrators in the June 1 attack while yelling 'Free Palestine,' according to law enforcement. The Boulder District Attorney's Office has identified nearly 30 victims of the attack, including 13 who suffered physical injuries. Eight people who sustained burns and other injuries were hospitalized. A dog was also harmed during the incident. Soliman was originally charged with 118 criminal counts, including several for attempted first degree murder, on June 5. The Boulder County District Attorney charged him with an additional 66 counts and amended some others he previously faced after 82-year-old Karen Diamond passed away as a result of wounds she sustained in the attack later in June. Soliman previously pleaded not guilty to the federal charges. He requested that the preliminary hearing be set back to the end of October due to what his counsel referred to as 'significant collateral implications' that could not be addressed ahead of the July 15 date. 'Counsel is not aware of an autopsy report being produced yet,' the motion read. 'Additionally, there will be significant medical records that need to be provided and reviewed in advance of such hearing.' The request was denied. Here's what to know about Soliman and what he's accused of. Who is Mohamed Sabry Soliman? Soliman is an Egyptian national who first entered the U.S. in August 2022 on a B-2 tourist visa, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He applied for asylum in September of that year, though details on his application have not publicly been reported. A spokeswoman for DHS previously told TIME that Soliman overstayed his visa, which expired in February 2023. The suspect was living in Colorado Springs with his family prior to his arrest on June 1. Soliman told police following the attack that he wanted to kill all Zionists, adding that he 'wished they were dead,' according to an FBI affidavit. He also allegedly informed authorities that he was waiting for his daughter to graduate to conduct the attack, which he said he had been planning for at least a year. Soliman's wife and five children were detained by immigration authorities in June to investigate whether the family knew of the suspect's intention, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Officials moved to expedite the removal of Soliman's family from the country, but their deportation was temporarily blocked by a federal judge. Earlier this month, a federal judge in Texas dismissed the family's petition to be released from immigration custody. What happened in the attack? Demonstrators from 'Run for Their Lives,' which stages weekly events to advocate for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, gathered at a park in front of the Boulder County Courthouse on June 1. Soliman allegedly entered the park carrying a backpack with 18 glass bottles and jars, as well as flammable liquid and red rags, and approached the group, according to the Justice Department. At around 1:30 p.m. local time, authorities allege Soliman threw two Molotov cocktails towards the crowd and yelled 'Free Palestine!' Twenty-nine victims have been identified, one of whom, 82-year-old Diamond, died on June 25 as a result of her injuries. Following the attack, authorities recovered a handwritten document from Soliman's vehicle that said, 'Zionism is our enemies untill [sic] Jerusalem is liberated and they are expelled from our land.' Soliman confessed to authorities that he committed the attack, according to the FBI affidavit. He said he initially tried to buy a firearm, per Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado J. Bishop Grewell, but could not purchase one because he was not a legal citizen and instead used Molotov cocktails.
Toronto Star
15-07-2025
- Toronto Star
State prosecution in firebombing attack on demonstration for Israeli hostages moves ahead
DENVER (AP) — A judge ruled Tuesday that Colorado prosecutors can move ahead with their case against a man accused of killing one person and injuring a dozen more in a firebomb attack on demonstrators showing support for Israeli hostages in Gaza. A police detective had been set to testify at a hearing explaining the evidence gathered against Mohamed Sabry Soliman in the June 1 attack on the weekly event in Boulder. But Soliman's lawyer, Kathryn Herold, told Judge Nancy W. Salomone that he gave up his right to hear the evidence.
USA Today
15-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Suspect in Boulder firebomb attack waives court hearing, faces murder charge
The man charged in the June 1 firebomb attack on a demonstration in Boulder, Colorado, in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday as he appeared in state court. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, faces dozens of charges that include murder and attempted murder. He is accused of targeting the group at a pedestrian mall, attacking them with Molotov cocktails and a makeshift flamethrower, according to a criminal complaint. He faces over 180 charges from the state of Colorado, increased from an initial 118 charges after the later death of one of the injured victims and identification of more victims. He also faces a federal hate crime charge. Wearing a striped orange-and-white jumpsuit, Soliman agreed to his defense lawyer's request for the waiver, which means the court will find probable cause for all the state charges. Public defender Kathryn Herold also indicated she would pursue a continuance at Soliman's arraignment, now set for Sept. 9. Prosecutors say 13 people were injured in the attack at a Boulder street mall. Karen Diamond, 82, died of her injuries on June 25, officials have said. The charges include two counts of first-degree murder, 52 counts of attempted murder, 10 counts of assault, 18 counts of attempted assault, two counts of using an incendiary device, 16 counts of attempted use of an incendiary device and one count of animal cruelty (prosecutors said a dog was injured in the attack). The most serious charge, first-degree murder, carries a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Soliman could also face a life sentence if he's convicted of the federal hate crime charge. USA TODAY has reached out to Soliman's defense attorney. Soliman is an Egyptian native who authorities said overstayed a tourist visa to the United States. In the wake of the attack, Trump administration officials detained and threatened to deport his wife and children. What happened in the Boulder firebomb attack? The attack happened the afternoon of June 1 at the Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder, authorities said. 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 threw two lit Molotov cocktails into the crowd while yelling, "Free Palestine," according to a federal criminal complaint. A Boulder police officer wrote in an arrest warrant that Soliman admitted to planning the attack for over a year and was waiting for his oldest daughter to graduate from high school, which she had days prior. Witnesses said he threw two Molotov cocktails and used a blow torch to set people on fire. Authorities said in the federal complaint that 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. Jewish woman died from injuries weeks after attack Diamond, a mother and grandmother, was among the group of demonstrators targeted in the attack, authorities said. She initially survived the assault but died more than three weeks later and was privately buried, according to authorities and members of her synagogue, Boulder's Bonai Shalom. "This horrific attack has now claimed the life of an innocent person who was beloved by her family and friends," Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty said. After Diamond's death, prosecutors amended two of the charges against Soliman from attempted murder to first-degree murder. One of the counts alleges murder under an extreme indifference theory and the other murder with intent and after deliberation, prosecutors said. Contributing: Trevor Hughes
CNN
15-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Colorado prosecutors to lay out evidence in firebomb attack on demonstration for Israeli hostages
Colorado prosecutors are set to lay out their evidence Tuesday against a man charged with murder, attempted murder and other crimes in a firebomb attack on demonstrators showing their support for Israeli hostages in Gaza. Investigators say Mohamed Sabry Soliman told them he intended to kill the roughly 20 participants at the weekly demonstration on Boulder's Pearl Street pedestrian mall on June 1. But he threw just two of more than two dozen Molotov cocktails he had with him while yelling, 'Free Palestine!' Police said he told them he got scared because he had never hurt anyone before. Federal authorities say Soliman, an Egyptian national, had been living in the U.S. illegally with his family. The purpose of Tuesday's preliminary hearing in state court in Boulder is for District Judge Nancy Woodruff Salomone to determine if there's enough evidence for Soliman to go on trial there. Soliman already faced dozens of charges in state court as well as hate crime charges in federal court when state prosecutors added murder charges following the death of an 82-year-old woman who was injured in the attack died as the result of her injuries. Karen Diamond helped at her synagogue and volunteered for several local groups, including the University of Colorado University Women's Club and a local music festival. Last week, Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Cramer-Babycz told U.S. District Judge John L. Kane that federal prosecutors have not decided yet whether to file additional charges against Soliman related to Diamond's death. Federal prosecutors allege the victims were targeted because of their perceived or actual connection to Israel. But Soliman's federal defense lawyers say he should not have been charged with hate crimes because the evidence shows he was motivated by opposition to Zionism, the political movement to establish and sustain a Jewish state in Israel. An attack motivated by someone's political views is not considered a hate crime under federal law. Soliman has pleaded not guilty to the hate crime charges. He has not been asked to enter a plea to the state charges yet. State prosecutors have identified 29 people who are considered victims of the attack, including 13 who were physically injured. The others were nearby and are considered victims because they could have been hurt. A dog was also injured in the attack, so Soliman has also been charged with animal cruelty. Tuesday's hearing was set to move ahead over the objections of Soliman's state public defenders, who asked to delay it after Diamond died and Soliman was charged with murder. In a court filing last week, they said they were not aware of an autopsy report being done for Diamond yet and asked to delay the hearing until October so they would be be able to review 'significant medical records' in advance.
