Suspect in Boulder terror attack targeting pro-Israel demonstrators charged with federal hate crimes

The suspect accused in a targeted terror attack in Boulder Colorado earlier this month was formally charged Wednesday with additional hate crimes A federal grand jury indictment unsealed in Denver Wednesday charges Mohamed Sabry Soliman with hate crime counts for using Molotov cocktails to attack a group of people demonstrating in advocacy of Israeli hostages in Gaza Soliman was initially charged with one count of a hate crime the day after the attack Wednesday s indictment alleges that Soliman entered a park in front of the Boulder County Courthouse on June carrying a backpack weed sprayer containing a flammable liquid and a black plastic container holding over a dozen glass bottles and jars containing flammable liquid Several of these allegedly had red rags stuffed through the top acting as wicks Around p m Soliman approached people participating in the Run for Their Lives demonstration and hurled two lit Molotov cocktails at them while shouting Free Palestine the indictment alleges MAN ACCUSED OF BOULDER FIREBOMBING AT PRO-ISRAEL EVENT APPEARS IN COURT ON FEDERAL HATE CRIME CHARGEAuthorities later identified a handwritten document in a conveyance driven by Soliman The document excoriated Zionism a movement to establish and sustain a Jewish state in Israel and described Israel as a cancer entity BOULDER TERROR ATTACK SUSPECT PRESENTED SIGNS OF GROWING LONE-WOLF RADICALIZATION SAYS FORMER FBI SUPERVISORThe indictment alleges that Soliman a -year-old illegal immigrant from Egypt recounted law enforcement during an interview that he needed to take revenge on Zionists i e anyone supporting Israel and scoured the internet looking for a pro-Israeli event Eventually Soliman allegedly narrated officers that he discovered the Run for Their Lives group and identified the participants when he saw them carrying flags outside the courthouse The group is an organization that facilitates running and walking events calling for the release of all hostages being held in Gaza after the Oct massacre The indictment accuses Soliman of trying to kill eight people ages to who were hurt by the Molotov cocktails and targeting them because of their perceived or actual national origin Soliman s defense attorney argued at a hearing last week that the alleged attack was motivated by opposition to Zionism as a political ideology which is not considered a hate crime under federal law Soliman is scheduled to appear in court this Friday for a hearing in which he will be requested to enter a plea on the hate crime charges Fox News Digital s Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this overview