During the attack, Soliman yelled “Free Palestine” as he threw the lit Molotov cocktails into the crowd.
The suspect behind a firebombing earlier this month in Boulder, Colorado that targeted supporters of Israeli hostages appeared in Denver federal court Friday, pleading not guilty to a dozen hate crime charges.
Still bearing bandages on his right hand and arm from burns suffered during the June 1 attack, Mohamed Soliman, 45, walked into court wearing a khaki uniform and carrying an envelope.
He smiled as he approached the defendant’s table in handcuffs. An Arabic interpreter translated the hearing for Soliman through headphones, though he offered no verbal response to the charges, the New York Times reports.
Court documents reveal Soliman had been plotting the attack for over a year, waiting until his daughter graduated from high school last spring before carrying it out.
Originally intending to use firearms, he switched to incendiary devices after being denied gun purchases due to his immigration status.
On the day of the attack, Soliman disguised himself as a gardener, donning an orange vest and purchasing flowers from Home Depot.
He also bought a backpack sprayer filled with gasoline, which he wore as he approached the Run for Their Lives demonstration, a weekly gathering advocating for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
During the attack, Soliman yelled “Free Palestine” as he threw the lit Molotov cocktails into the crowd.
The attack injured over a dozen people, including a Holocaust survivor, with three victims remaining hospitalized.
Police recovered 16 additional unused devices at the scene, all made with glass wine carafes and canning jars filled with gasoline.
Federal authorities say he expressed no remorse and specifically targeted the group after learning about them through online searches.
Soliman is an Egyptian immigrant who entered the United States in 2022 on a tourist visa that expired in 2023. He had filed for asylum and though he was granted a work permit, that had also expired in 2024.
Beyond federal charges, Soliman faces 118 state charges including 28 counts of attempted first-degree murder. His bond remains set at $10 million.
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