DENVER — A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that there is enough probable cause for the federal hate crime case to continue against the man accused of firebombing a group of demonstrators on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall.
On June 1, the local group from the organization Run For Their Lives held its weekly walk to bring attention to the Israeli hostages held in Gaza. The Boulder group walks every Sunday and planned to do so at 1 p.m. at the corner of 8th and Pearl streets.
The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, of Colorado Springs, is accused of throwing Molotov cocktails into the crowd of demonstrating people, injuring 15 people and a dog, and yelling "Free Palestine," according to a federal arrest affidavit Denver7 obtained and Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty. A state arrest affidavit added that witnesses saw him using a commercial weed sprayer filled with a flammable substance as a makeshift blowtorch.
Nobody was killed in the incident, which the FBI labeled a “targeted terror attack.”
- JEWISHcolorado has set up a fund to help those who were injured in the attack. If you'd like to donate, follow this link.
The victims range in age from 25 to 88 years old. Eight of them are women and seven are men, the FBI Denver office confirmed.
Soliman was charged with a hate crime in federal court. He also faces 118 counts, including attempt to commit murder, assault in the first and third degrees, use of explosive or incendiary devices and animal cruelty, in Colorado court.
Boulder
Affidavit: Suspect planned Molotov cocktail attack in Boulder for 1 year
Soliman attended a preliminary hearing in person on Wednesday. He was brought into the federal courtroom with his hands handcuffed and his ankles shackled. His right arm was also wrapped up in some sort of bandage.
During the hearing, the judge made it clear that the purpose of the hearing was to determine whether there was enough evidence to proceed with the case, not Soliman's guilt or innocence.
Prosecutors argued there are five elements of the crime they believe to be supported by evidence:
- Evidence allegedly shows Soliman caused bodily injury to the victims
- Soliman allegedly acted because of the "perceived national origin of the victims"
- Soliman allegedly acted willfully
- Soliman allegedly "attempted to kill the victims"
- There was alleged "interstate or foreign commerce"
The biggest contention point during Wednesday's hearing was whether politics or natural origin motivated the attack.
Prosecutors argued that Soliman allegedly targeted the victims based on their "perceived national origin" because he believed the demonstrators were Israeli. Soliman's defense attorneys, however, argued his target was "Zionists," who they described as people with a certain political belief.
The judge said this argument will have to be decided down the line, most likely by a district judge. In the end, they ruled that there was enough evidence for the federal case to proceed.
