The suspect in a terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, will be tried on 12 federal counts of a hate crime, according to an indictment unsealed in Denver on Wednesday.
Mohamed Soliman is accused of using Molotov cocktails to attack members of the group “Run For Their Lives” on June 1 as they walked to bring awareness to Israeli hostages held by the terror group Hamas.
The indictment said Soliman brought a backpack weed sprayer filled with flammable liquid and a black plastic container filled with 18 glass bottles and jars full of flammable liquid, several with red rags stuffed through the top to act as a wick. Soliman allegedly approached the group in front of the historic Boulder County Courthouse building and threw two ignited Molotov cocktails at them while shouting “Free Palestine!”
The attack left 15 people and one dog injured.
Officials said a handwritten document discovered in Soliman’s car said “Zionism is our enemies untill [sic] Jerusalem is liberated and they are expelled from our land,” and described Israel as a “cancer entity.”
According to the indictment, Soliman told law enforcement he wanted to take revenge and searched for “Zionist” events, where he learned of the Run For Their Lives event. He said he identified them by the flags and signs they were holding as they gathered near the old courthouse building. During the interview, Soliman reportedly told authorities he considered “anyone supporting the exist [sic] of Israel on our land” to be “Zionist.”
The 12-hate crime counts against Soliman include nine counts of violating 18 U.S.C. § 249, causing injury to a person because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin. It also includes three counts of violating 18 U.S.C. § 844(h), using fire or explosives to commit a felony.
Soliman was previously indicted on June 2 for a related hate crime offense. He did not enter a plea on June 2.
He has also been charged with 118 state criminal charges, including 28 counts of attempted murder, in county court.
The case is under investigation by the FBI and the Boulder Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado and the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Soliman’s next court appearance is scheduled for Friday.
