Man to plead guilty in Colorado attack on pro-Israel demonstrators

A man accused of killing one person and wounding twelve others in a firebomb attack targeting pro-Israel demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, plans to plead guilty to murder and additional charges this week, according to court documents filed by his attorneys.

Mohamed Sabry Soliman faces a sentence of life imprisonment without parole for the June 1 attack on Boulder’s Pearl Street pedestrian mall. The violence claimed the life of an 82-year-old woman and left a dozen others injured when Soliman threw Molotov cocktails at participants gathering to show support for Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

Soliman, an Egyptian national who authorities say was living illegally in the United States, had previously entered a not guilty plea. Investigators report that Soliman had planned the attack for a year, motivated by what he described as a desire “to kill all Zionist people.”

“It was a horrific attack,” Boulder Mayor Pro Tem Tara Winer said in an email statement. “Their lives were changed forever.” Winer, who noted that some of her close friends were among the victims, plans to attend Thursday’s court hearing in support of their pursuit of justice.

The case spans both state and federal jurisdictions, with Soliman facing dozens of state charges including murder and attempted murder. While he intends to plead guilty to the state charges, he has maintained a not guilty plea to federal hate crime charges, though his attorneys indicated he offered to plead guilty in the federal case last August in exchange for a life sentence.

Federal prosecutors are still weighing whether to pursue the death penalty. A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office declined to comment on the case.

Soliman’s defense team characterized the attack as “profoundly inconsistent” with his prior behavior, noting it “came as a total shock to his family.” Before the incident, Soliman had been living with his family in Colorado Springs, working a series of low-paying jobs since arriving in the United States from Kuwait in 2022 with his wife and five children. Court documents indicate the couple divorced in April.

Shannon Carbone with the 20th Judicial District Attorney’s Office declined to comment specifically on Soliman’s intention to plead guilty, citing court restrictions on public statements by prosecutors. “From the very first day, our office has been committed to fighting for justice in this case,” Carbone wrote, adding that County Attorney Michael Dougherty would address the matter following Thursday’s hearing.

According to investigators, Soliman admitted intending to kill all participants at the weekly demonstration but threw only two of more than two dozen Molotov cocktails he had prepared. Police reported that he shouted “Free Palestine!” during the attack but stopped because he became frightened, telling authorities he had never harmed anyone before.

While federal prosecutors allege the victims were targeted because of their perceived or actual connection to Israel, Soliman’s federal defense lawyers argue he should not face hate crime charges because evidence shows his motivation stemmed from opposition to Zionism as a political movement, not hatred of Jewish people specifically. Under federal law, attacks motivated by political views rather than protected characteristics do not qualify as hate crimes.

State prosecutors have identified 29 victims in the attack, including thirteen who suffered physical injuries and others who were in proximity and could have been harmed. A dog was also injured, resulting in an additional charge of animal cruelty.

In a separate but related development, Soliman’s ex-wife, Hayam El Gamal, and their children were released from immigration detention in April after spending ten months in custody. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery in San Antonio ordered their release on the condition that El Gamal and her 18-year-old child wear electronic monitoring, despite an immigration appeals court dismissing their case to remain in the United States and issuing a deportation order.

Soliman’s attorneys have sought to block the deportation of El Gamal and the children until a judge determines whether their presence will be required for court proceedings in his federal case.