The man accused of carrying out a violent attack in downtown Boulder, Colorado, that injured eight people with a makeshift flamethrower told authorities he had been planning the act for a year and specifically targeted what he called a “Zionist group,” according to a newly released FBI affidavit.
Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, now faces a federal hate crime charge filed by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The FBI says Soliman confessed to the attack shortly after being taken into custody Sunday evening, telling officers he “would do it again.”
The group targeted had gathered at the Pearl Street Mall—a bustling pedestrian zone in Boulder—to raise awareness about Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.
Authorities said the suspect shouted “Free Palestine” before launching an incendiary device into the crowd. Eight people were injured, including several with serious burns.
The Sunday evening assault occurred as Jewish communities across the country marked Shavuot, a major holiday commemorated with the reading of the Torah.
It also comes amid heightened global tensions linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has fueled a notable rise in antisemitic attacks in the U.S.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack, calling it a “vicious terror attack.”
In a statement, he said, “My wife Sara and I—and the entire nation of Israel—are praying for the full recovery of the wounded.”
Soliman is currently held in the Boulder County jail and was scheduled to appear in court Monday afternoon.
Authorities have classified the attack as an act of domestic terrorism motivated by hate. The FBI says more charges could follow as the investigation continues.
