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Federal authorities at a preliminary hearing Wednesday afternoon testified the accused Boulder, Colorado Molotov bomber, illegal Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman, used Israeli flags to target victims and had the Muslim liberation year “1187” written on clothing items in his car.
Soliman, 45, is charged with multiple counts of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, possession of incendiary devices, and more than a dozen counts of attempted use of an incendiary device in connection to the June 1 terror attack that injured 12 people.
He is also facing federal charges for allegedly committing a hate crime involving actual or perceived race, religion or national origin.
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During the hearing in a Denver federal courtroom, government attorney Melissa Hindman argued there is evidence to support the hate crime charge, specifically for targeting national origin.
“He explained that Zionism and Zionists were the people occupying Palestine and, more specifically, Israel and Jerusalem,” Hindman said. “He defines his enemy and his target as Zionists.”
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agent Timothy Chan, who interviewed Soliman, took the stand and testified Soliman’s targets on June 1 were those he considered Zionists, and “he intended to kill Zionists.”
Investigators allegedly found 1187 on clothing and other items in Soliman’s car, which Chan said was the year Israel was liberated by the Muslims.
When asked why Soliman targeted the group Run for Their Lives, Chan told the court Soliman made an internet search specifically for “Zionists events” in Boulder and “that’s how he found them.”
Following the attack, Soliman allegedly told investigators he used Israeli flags to identify those he considered Zionists.
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Soliman’s attorney, David Kraut, pointed out his client made statements to Chan differentiating between Zionists and Jews, also noting the 1187 number could refer to other significant dates.
Magistrate Judge Kathryn Starnella said the case raises a legal question of how the term Zionism can be defined, questioning if it is a political movement or type of national origin.
Hindman acknowledged the issue was “complicated.”
“The defendant isn’t using the term Israel,” Hindman argued. “In all of his words, what he is showing is he is targeting Israelis and anyone who supports the existence of Israel on that land.”
Kraut argued Soliman’s definition of Zionism “hinges on political views.”
“National origin of the victims in this case did not matter,” Kraut said, before telling the judge the hate crime statute didn’t apply.
Hindman argued there was written evidence that Soliman believed Zionists are the occupiers of Jerusalem, and the occupier of Jerusalem is the nation of Israel.
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During testimony, Soliman, who was wearing a brown crew-neck t-shirt and an interpreter’s headset, slightly rocked in his seat and looked around the courtroom. While there were no cameras in the courtroom, a Fox News reporter noted he had a cast on his right hand.
After a brief recess, Judge Starnella said while there is debate around the second element of the statute—which is whether Soliman was motivated by national origin and how that is defined—she found probable cause for the case to move forward.
Starnella told Soliman’s attorneys she “understands that there is evidence that cuts against the national origin theory,” but said it is up to a jury to decide.
The court will reconvene June 27 for an arraignment and detention hearing. Soliman has not yet been indicted.
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