An Egyptian national accused of attacking a pro-Israeli rally in Boulder, Colorado, with gasoline bombs, injuring a dozen people, has been charged with a federal hate crime and 16 counts of attempted murder, authorities announced Monday.
Muhammad Sabri Solomon, 45, allegedly spent a year planning the Sunday attack before hurling Molotov cocktails at a crowd of demonstrators—some in their late 80s—as they peacefully marched to draw attention to Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
“What the charges allege that he did was to throw Molotov cocktails at a group of men and women… burning them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado J. Bishop Greywell. “We fully intend to hold Mr. Solomon accountable for his actions, and these charges are the first step.”
According to court documents, Solomon told investigators he wanted to “kill all Zionist people” but delayed the attack until after his daughter’s high school graduation. Unable to purchase firearms as a non-citizen, he instead turned to homemade firebombs, which he learned to make from YouTube, officials said.
Police recovered 14 gasoline-filled Molotov cocktails near where Solomon was detained, along with a gas canister in his nearby car and a weed sprayer filled with gasoline at the scene.
The attack marks the latest in a series of violent incidents targeting Jewish Americans amid heightened tensions over Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. It follows last month’s fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy aides outside Washington, D.C.’s Capital Jewish Museum.
Solomon, who already faces state charges including attempted murder, remains in custody as federal prosecutors pursue the hate crime case. Authorities have not yet announced a trial date.
