Latest news with #MolotovCocktails
Al Bawaba
3 hours ago
- Al Bawaba
Colorado attacker faces 600-year jail sentence
Published June 6th, 2025 - 11:12 GMT ALBAWABA - A Colorado court on Thursday charged a man accused of using a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails to set people on fire at a rally commemorating Israeli hostages in Gaza, in addition to attempted murder and other crimes. Also Read Who is Mohamed Sabry Soliman, Colorado attacker? According to American media, state prosecutors said that Egyptian citizen Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, is facing more than 600 years in prison if convicted of up to 28 counts of attempted murder. In addition, Reuters revealed that Soliman is accused of a total of 118 charges, including assault, use of incendiary equipment, and animal cruelty for injuring a dog in the attack that happened in Boulder, Colorado. 'Soliman said he took a concealed-carry class and learned to shoot a gun but as a non-citizen was blocked from purchasing a gun, so he turned to Molotov cocktails' Hey look, gun control works! — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) June 3, 2025 According to the FBI, a suspect threw an incendiary device into the group in Colorado and used a "makeshift flamethrower" to attack a group of people that regularly protest in support of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip. "The suspect was heard to yell 'Free Palestine' during the attack," a special agent in charge of the Denver field office of the FBI, Mark Michalek, revealed. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge temporarily blocks deportation of family of man charged in Boulder terror attack
A federal judge in Colorado on Wednesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting the wife and five children of the suspect in a fire-bomb attack on a demonstration to support the Israeli hostages in Gaza. U.S. District Court Judge Gordon Gallagher said in an order that deporting the family without adequate process could cause "irreparable harm." Lawyers representing the family of the Egyptian national charged in Sunday's attack, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, sued the U.S. government on Wednesday, seeking to win the family members' release from custody and block their deportation, according to court documents. The number of "identified victims" in the fiery attack has risen to 15, Boulder police said Wednesday. The victims in what authorities are calling a targeted terror attack are 25 to 88 years old, eight female and seven male, police said in a social media post. They were injured when a man on Sunday tossed Molotov Cocktails at about 20 people marching to remember the captives still held by Hamas after the Oct. 7, 2023 border assault. Soliman will appear before a Colorado judge Thursday to hear the raft of charges he could face. Those charges include 16 counts of attempted murder, 18 counts of possession of incendiary devices and related offenses, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said. The attempted murder counts alone are punishable by up to 384 years in prison, he said. He also faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if found guilty on a federal hate crime charge. Soliman told investigators he wanted to "kill all Zionist people" and planned the attack for a year, according to court documents. He said he waited until after his daughter's high school graduation, which took place May 29. His timing may provide little solace for the family − his wife and children were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday and could be ushered out of the country within days. Suspect's family detained: Wife, 5 children deportation Jewish community on edge: Amid ongoing attacks, Jewish people are afraid. Is anyone listening? | Opinion Soliman, a native of Egypt who lives in Colorado Springs, came to the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2022 and requested asylum, Homeland Security officials said. A work authorization granted in 2023 also expired. Now the visas of his wife and five children have been revoked, multiple media outlets including the New York Times reported. "Today, DHS and ICE are taking the family of suspected Boulder, Colorado, terrorist, and illegal alien, Mohamed Soliman, into ICE custody," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday in a post on X. "This terrorist will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We are investigating to what extent his family knew about this heinous attack, if they had knowledge of it, or if they provided support to it." President Donald Trump has issued a travel ban blocking the entry into the U.S. of foreign nationals from 12 countries and partially restricting travel from foreign nationals of seven other nations. "As President, I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people," Trump said in a proclamation he signed June 4 imposing the ban. The ban prohibits travel into the U.S. from foreign nationals from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Trump issued partial travel suspensions for nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Not on the list are Soliman's native Egypt and Kuwait, where he lived before moving to the U.S. - Joey Garrison FBI and police officials said the family has cooperated with investigators, and Soliman said his family had no knowledge of his plans. That may not be enough to allow them to stay in the U.S. The White House posted a message Tuesday detailing the family's likely fate: "Six One-Way Tickets for Mohamed's Wife and Five Kids. Final Boarding Call Coming Soon." The post indicated the deportation could happen as soon as that night, but Wednesday's judicial order has granted the family a reprieve for now. Who is Mohamed Soliman? Records reveal Colorado terror suspect tried to purchase a gun A vigil honoring the victims of the attack was set for Wednesday evening. "Healing begins with coming together in community," the Boulder Jewish Community Center said in a statement on its website. "Please join us for 'Coming Together: A Community Gathering.'" The statement adds that "safety and security are our top priority" and lists enhance security plans, including an increased police presence and "hired security professionals." "Please remain vigilant and report suspicious activity," the statement adds. "If you see something, say something." The 30th annual Boulder Jewish Festival will take place as schedule June 8 outside the historic courthouse on Pearl Street Mall near the site of the June 1 attack, organizers said. The Boulder Jewish Community Center and JEWISHcolorado issued a joint statement saying they are taking steps to "reimagine the event in a way that helps our community heal and feels grounded in the reality" of the attack June 1. JEWISHcolorado has launched an emergency fund to support victims, improve community safety and provide additional security at Sunday's event. Details are being finalized, the statement said. The statement noted that the attack targeted Run For Their Lives, a group with the primary focus of bringing awareness to the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. "In moments like these, our strength is in our unity," the groups said. "Thank you for standing together. We will continue to share updates and support one another." A man firebombed the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro in April, hours after the governor and his family hosted more than two dozen people to celebrate the first night of Passover. Two weeks ago, a man shot and killed a young couple outside the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum in Washington. Then, on June 1, Boulder happened. In all three cases, the suspects claimed allegiance to Palestinians as their motive. The attacks come after years of escalating rhetoric, protests and demonstrations against the ongoing war in Gaza. 'The Jewish community is used to having bulletproof glass and metal detectors at their institutions, but this was a public gathering,' Anti-Defamation League Senior Vice President Oren Segal told USA TODAY of the Boulder attack. 'The Jewish community is now concerned about being publicly Jewish.' Read more here. Shootings in DC, firebombs in Boulder: Attacks mark dangerous surge in antisemitism Contributing: Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge blocks deportation of family of man charged in terror attack
CBS News
17 hours ago
- CBS News
Boulder, Colorado, attack suspect now facing 118 counts of attempted murder, other charges in county court
Boulder attack suspect to appear in court days after Pearl Street attack Boulder attack suspect to appear in court days after Pearl Street attack Boulder attack suspect to appear in court days after Pearl Street attack The suspect in Sunday's attack in Boulder, Colorado, is due to appear in county court on Thursday afternoon, where he faces 118 state criminal charges, including 28 counts of attempted murder. Prosecutors are expected to file formal charges against 45-year-old Mohamed Soliman. He's currently being held in the Boulder County Jail on a $10 million bond and is expected to be charged in his 3:30 p.m. hearing with attempted murder and charges related to the Molotov cocktails he allegedly used in the attack. According to court records, he now faces 28 counts of attempted first-degree murder -- 14 of which are "with extreme indifference, and 14 are "after deliberation -- all class 2 felonies; 14 counts of first-degree assault with extreme indifference, a class 4 felony; two counts of use of an explosives or incendiary device, a class 2 felony; 14 counts of attempted use of an explosives or incendiary devices, a class 3 felony; and 60 violent crime sentence enhancers. Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said on Monday afternoon that Soliman will be charged in state court with 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder, eight of which are "with intent and deliberation," the other eight of which are "with extreme indifference." He's also set to be charged with two counts of use of an incendiary device and 16 counts of attempted use of an incendiary device. Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty speaks during a press conference at the Boulder Police Station on Monday, June 2, 2025. Chet Strange / Stringer via Getty Images Soliman also faces federal hate crime charges, but that would come in his separate federal court case. He's set to appear in federal court in Denver on Friday. J. Bishop Grewell, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, said additional federal charges might also be forthcoming. News cameras won't be allowed in either courtroom, but the Boulder County Court hearing will be live-streamed, and CBS News Colorado will provide updates during and after that hearing. The cases and potential charges stem from Sunday's attack in which Soliman is accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at members of the group Run for Their Lives, injuring 15 people and a dog. Two of those people were airlifted to UCHealth's burn unit due to the severity of their burns, hospital officials said. The group walks through the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder every week, advocating for the release of Israeli hostages taken to Gaza in Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack. Video from multiple witnesses appears to show Soliman during the attack holding two jars or bottles with a clear liquid that investigators say contained gasoline. Soliman was arrested at the scene and taken into custody without incident, according to Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn and witnesses' video. Mohamed Soliman appears in Boulder County Court on Monday, June 2, 2025, a day after police say he threw Molotov cocktails at members of a group advocating for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. He's seen on a courtroom camera with bandages on his head and ear. Boulder County Court Soliman appeared in Boulder County Court with a bandage on his head and ear on Monday. He was advised of his rights, ordered not to have any contact with the alleged victims, and the bond amount was upheld by the judge. The hearing lasted approximately five minutes. Soliman is being represented by the State Office of the Public Defender.
CBS News
a day ago
- Health
- CBS News
Boulder, Colorado, suspect expected to be formally charged in county court
The suspect in Sunday's attack in Boulder, Colorado, is due to appear in Boulder County Court on Thursday afternoon. Prosecutors are expected to file formal charges against 45-year-old Mohamed Soliman. He's currently being held in the Boulder County Jail on a $10 million bond and is expected to be charged in his 3:30 p.m. hearing with attempted murder and charges related to the Molotov cocktails he allegedly used in the attack. Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty said on Monday afternoon that Soliman will be charged in state court with 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder, eight of which are "with intent and deliberation," the other eight of which are "with extreme indifference." He's also set to be charged with two counts of use of an incendiary device and 16 counts of attempted use of an incendiary device. Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty speaks during a press conference at the Boulder Police Station on Monday, June 2, 2025. Chet Strange / Stringer via Getty Images Soliman also faces federal hate crime charges, but that would come in his separate federal court case. He's set to appear in federal court in Denver on Friday. J. Bishop Grewell, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, said additional federal charges might also be forthcoming. News cameras won't be allowed in either courtroom, but the Boulder County Court hearing will be live-streamed, and CBS News Colorado will provide updates during and after that hearing. The cases and potential charges stem from Sunday's attack in which Soliman is accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at members of the group Run for Their Lives, injuring 15 people and a dog. Two of those people were airlifted to UCHealth's burn unit due to the severity of their burns, hospital officials said. The group walks through the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder every week, advocating for the release of Israeli hostages taken to Gaza in Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack. Video from multiple witnesses appears to show Soliman during the attack holding two jars or bottles with a clear liquid that investigators say contained gasoline. Soliman was arrested at the scene and taken into custody without incident, according to Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn and witnesses' video. Mohamed Soliman appears in Boulder County Court on Monday, June 2, 2025, a day after police say he threw Molotov cocktails at members of a group advocating for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. He's seen on a courtroom camera with bandages on his head and ear. Boulder County Court Soliman appeared in Boulder County Court with a bandage on his head and ear on Monday. He was advised of his rights, ordered not to have any contact with the alleged victims, and the bond amount was upheld by the judge. The hearing lasted approximately five minutes. If convicted of all 34 state charges, Solimon could face over 600 years in prison.
USA Today
2 days ago
- General
- USA Today
Boulder attack suspect's family cooperating in probe but could be deported soon
Boulder attack suspect's family cooperating in probe but could be deported soon Show Caption Hide Caption Family of man suspected of Boulder attacker detained by ICE ICE agents detained the wife and children of the man suspected of a fiery attack on pro-Israeli marchers in Boulder, Colorado. Mohamed Soliman faces a "return of filing" hearing in a Boulder County courtroom where charges will be formally filed in the June 1 assault. Soliman came to the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2022 and stayed after the visa expired, requesting asylum, Homeland Security officials said. By the time Mohamed Sabry Soliman appears before a Colorado judge June 5 to hear the raft of charges he could face, his wife and children may have been ushered out of the country. Soliman, 45, faces a "return of filing" hearing in Boulder County Courtroom CJ where charges will be formally filed related to a June 1 attack at a pro-Israel rally. Those charges could include 16 counts of attempted murder, 18 counts of possession of incendiary devices and related offenses, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said. The attempted-murder counts alone are punishable by up to 384 years in prison, he said. The Egyptian-born Colorado Springs resident also faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if found guilty on a federal hate crime charge. Soliman told investigators he planned the attack for a year and waited until after his daughter graduated from high school, according to court documents. She graduated May 29, but his timing may provide little solace for the family − his wife and five children were taken into custody June 3 by Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. Suspect's family detained: Wife, 5 children deportation Jewish community on edge: Amid ongoing attacks, Jewish people are afraid. Is anyone listening? | Opinion Soliman, a native of Egypt who lives in Colorado Springs, is accused of flinging Molotov Cocktails at a weekly "Run for Their Lives" demonstration June 1. Twelve people ages 52 to 88 suffered burns ranging from serious to minor, police said. Two remain hospitalized Tuesday. He came to the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2022 and stayed after the visa expired, requesting asylum, Homeland Security officials said. "Today, DHS and ICE are taking the family of suspected Boulder, Colorado, terrorist, and illegal alien, Mohamed Soliman, into ICE custody," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post on X. "This terrorist will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We are investigating to what extent his family knew about this heinous attack, if they had knowledge of it, or if they provided support to it." FBI and police officials said the family has cooperated with investigators. That may not be enough to allow them to stay in the U.S. The White House posted a message June 3 detailing the family's likely fate: "Six One-Way Tickets for Mohamed's Wife and Five Kids. Final Boarding Call Coming Soon." The post indicated the deportatin could happen as soon as that night, although as of early June 4 there was no confirmation deportation took place. Who is Mohamed Soliman? Records reveal Colorado terror suspect tried to purchase a gun
