Boulder attack suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman poses for a jail booking photograph after his arrest in Boulder, Colorado, U.S. June 2, 2025. Boulder Police Department/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY
Boulder Police Department | Via Reuters
Federal authorities on Monday revealed that the suspect in the fire attack on demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, confessed that he had planned the horrific assault for a year, and waited until his daughter graduated from school to commit it.
That disclosure came as federal prosecutors charged the suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, with a hate crime for Sunday’s attack.
An affidavit filed as part of that complaint said there is probable cause to believe he attacked the demonstrators on Sunday with a makeshift flamethrower because they were supporting Israel in calling for the release of hostages still being held by the Palestinian terror group Hamas.
Soliman, 45, is due to appear Monday afternoon in Boulder court to face state charges related to the attack, which left eight people hospitalized with burns and other injuries.
The married father of five is being held on a $10 million bail in that case.
He is charged in U.S. District Court in Colorado with a hate crime involving actual or perceived race, religion, or national origin.
Prosecutors plan to ask a federal judge to detain Soliman in the federal case without bail.
An affidavit signed by an FBI agent says that Soliman threw “Molotov cocktails into a pro-Israel crowd while yelling ‘Free Palestine.’ “
The affidavit says that after he was detained by law enforcement, authorities found a black plastic container with a yellow top near the site of the arrest.
In that container “were at least fourteen unlit Molotov cocktails, comprised of glass wine carafe bottles or Bell jars containing clear liquid and red rags hanging out of the bottles,” the affidavit says.
The liquid in those bottles, and a backpack weed sprayer also found nearby, was determined to be 87 octane gasoline, the agent wrote.
Police and FBI agents gather, after an attack that injured multiple people, in Boulder, Colorado, U.S. June 1, 2025.
Mark Makela | Reuters
Authorities who searched Soliman’s 2015 Toyota Prius found a red gas container inside, and “paperwork with the words, ‘Israel,’ ‘Palestine,’ and ‘USAID,’ ” which is the acronym for the U.S. Agency for International Development, the affidavit said
“Soliman as placed under arrest and a mirandized interview was conducted by local and federal law enforcement,” the affidavit said.
“During the interview, Soliman stated that he researched on YouTube how to make Molotov Cocktails, purchased the ingredients to do so, and constructed them,” the agent wrote.
“He 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. He also stated that he picked up gas at a gas station on the way to Boulder,” the affidavit said. “He stated that he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead.”
“Soliman stated he would do it (conduct an attack) again. He specifically targeted the ‘Zionist Group’ that had gathered in Boulder having learned about the group from an online search.”
“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 affidavit said.
“He stated that he had been planning the attack for a year and was waiting until after his daughter graduated to conduct the attack.”
Shortly before the federal hate crime charge was revealed, President Donald Trump condemned the attack and blamed former President Joe Biden for a border policy that Trump said allowed entry to the accused assailant.
“Yesterday’s horrific attack in Boulder, Colorado, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED in the United States of America,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
“He came in through Biden’s ridiculous Open Border Policy, which has hurt our Country so badly,” Trump wrote. “He must go out under “TRUMP” Policy. Acts of Terrorism will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law.”
“This is yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport Illegal, Anti-American Radicals from our Homeland. My heart goes out to the victims of this terrible tragedy, and the Great People of Boulder, Colorado!”
Soliman was in the United States illegally on an expired work permit, according to the White House.
