The Department of Justice formally filed one federal hate crime charge Friday against a man suspected of injuring 15 people in a firebombing attack on the Pearl Street Mall Sunday.
We refuse to accept a world in which Jewish Americans are targeted for who they are and what they believe.”
Egyptian nationalMohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, will be represented by public defenders David Kraut and Jennifer Beck as the case moves through federal court.
The federal hate crime charge carries a penalty of 10 years behind bars and a $250K fine.
Should the federal judge find there was an intent to kill in the attack, the accused could face a life sentence.
A man suspected of injuring 15 people in a firebombing attack on the Pearl Street Mall on Sunday was officially charged with one federal hate crime by the Department of Justice on Friday.
“This heinous act of anti-Semitic violence occurs only a few weeks after two young Jewish Americans were horribly murdered in Washington, D.C. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “We will never put up with this hatred. We cannot tolerate a society where Jewish Americans are singled out for persecution because of their identity and beliefs. “,”.
Since the suspect seemed to target the group based on their “race, religion, or national origin” by “throwing Molotov cocktails into a pro-Israel crowd while yelling ‘Free Palestine,'” the agent classified the attack as a hate crime in the initial federal complaint filed on June 1.
Public defenders David Kraut and Jennifer Beck will represent Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, throughout the federal court proceedings. He was placed under remand in the United States’ custody. A. Marshals his federal preliminary hearing on Friday afternoon and is scheduled to appear on June 18.
The suspect threw incendiary devices and used a makeshift flamethrower at participants in the weekly Run for Their Lives demonstration on Pearl Street Mall, according to police. Authorities report that several individuals were set on fire, fifteen were hurt, and three are still in the hospital.
As per the arrest affidavit, the suspect informed authorities that he deliberately looked for organizations he believed to be “Zionist” and had a one-year plan to target the Boulder group, which organizes a weekly walk to raise awareness of the hostages that Hamas is still holding in Gaza.
Ages ranging from 25 to 88 are among those hurt in Sunday’s attack. Seven of them are men, and eight are women. Additionally, one dog was hurt.
Ten years in prison and a $250K fine are the penalties for the federal hate crime charge. The accused could receive a life sentence if the federal judge determines that the attack had the intent to kill.
