COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The man accused of firebombing a group of demonstrators in Boulder in June 2025 pleaded guilty to federal hate crime charges Thursday.
Mohammed Sabry Soliman, 46, faced both state and federal charges for throwing Molotov cocktails to attack demonstrators in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza on the Pearl Street Mall last year. In Thursday’s hearing, Soliman pleaded guilty to 12 federal charges, including hate crime resulting in death.
As part of a plea deal in court Thursday, Soliman also admitted that in addition to throwing those Molotov cocktails at the group, he did so because of the group's actual or perceived Israeli national origin and Jewish religion.
The attack killed one person and caused permanent and life-threatening injuries to several others.
Watch Denver7's story on his guilty plea to all state charges in the video below:
During the investigation, it was discovered the defendant was staying in Colorado Springs at the time of the attack, but was originally from Egypt and had overstayed his visa.
In May, Soliman pleaded guilty to more than 100 state charges, including first-degree murder and 26 accounts of attempted murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus more than 2,100 additional years in prison.
For nine of his federal hate crimes charges, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. For the three other hate crimes charges, he faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison to run consecutive to any other prison term, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
“By his own admissions, Mohamed Soliman’s hateful attack on our neighbors in Boulder was antisemitic,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly in a prepared statement. “All Americans should feel free to pursue their faith and way of life without fear that doing so will put their personal safety at risk. Antisemitism erodes the common ties that bind our great nation together and there is no place for it in America. We are grateful for the trust and support of the victims and the Boulder community as we prosecuted this case.”
As part of his federal plea agreement, the government and defense are both asking for a life sentence plus 50 years.
Soliman’s sentencing is set for January 7, 2027.
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