MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Jewish Community members attacked with flamethrower in Colorado

Soliman is believed to have acted alone, and no other suspects are being sought (Pic Sociai Media/AFP).

A foreign national identified as the 45-year-old Egyptian Mohamed Sabry Soliman, Sunday, attacked a group participating in a weekly event in Boulder, Colorado, supporting Israeli hostages held by the terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza.

 Reportedly yelling “Free Palestine” and “End Zionist,” Soliman used a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails, injuring at least eight people -four women and four men- aged 52 to 88. Four of them were hospitalized locally, and two were airlifted to a Denver burn unit. At least one victim was “very seriously injured, probably safe to say critical condition,” Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn explained. Rabbi Israel Wilhelm told CBS Colorado the 88-year-old victim is a Holocaust refugee who fled Europe.

Soliman, who arrived in California in 2022 on a non-immigrant visa which expired in Feb. 2023, was arrested without resistance and treated for minor injuries. The FBI classified the incident as a “targeted terror attack” and is investigating it as ideologically motivated violence. “It is clear that this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism,” FBI Special Agent Mark Michalek said.

“Sadly, attacks like this are becoming too common across the country,” Michalek also pointed out. “This is an example of how perpetrators of violence continue to threaten communities across the nation.”

The incident took place during a peaceful demonstration to raise awareness for hostages taken during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 and abducted 251 people. FBI Director Kash Patel described it as “a targeted terror attack,” and Deputy Director Dan Bongino noted it was being investigated as “an act of ideologically motivated violence.”

The Boulder event follows a rise in antisemitic attacks in the US, with the pro-Israel advocacy group Anti-Defamation League noting nine episodes targeting Jewish communities in the past 11 months. Last month, Elias Rodriguez was shouting “Free Palestine” as he killed two Israeli embassy employees outside Washington's Jewish Museum. “We're witnessing a global campaign of intimidation and terror deliberately directed against the Jewish people,” the ADL highlighted.

“We are saddened and heartbroken to learn that an incendiary device was thrown at walkers at the Run for Their Lives walk on Pearl Street as they were raising awareness for the hostages still held in Gaza,” Boulder's Jewish community said in a joint statement.