Federal authorities are investigating a violent attack at a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, Colorado, after several people were injured in what is now being labeled an act of ideologically motivated terrorism. The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian national, is believed to have overstayed his U.S. visa after entering the country in August 2022.
According to sources within the Department of Homeland Security, Soliman entered the U.S. legally during the Biden administration but remained in the country after his visa expired in February 2023. While he filed an unspecified claim with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Biden administration granted him temporary work authorization—an authorization that expired in March 2024.
On Sunday afternoon, Soliman allegedly launched a violent assault on attendees of a peaceful pro-Israel rally, reportedly using a homemade flamethrower and an incendiary device. Witnesses stated he shouted “free Palestine” and “end Zionist” as he set members of the crowd on fire. Six individuals were hospitalized with injuries described as “consistent with burns and other injuries.”
Law enforcement quickly responded, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has since taken over the case. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino confirmed in an online statement that the incident is being pursued as an act of terrorism. “We are investigating this incident as an act of terror, and targeted violence,” Bongino said. “If you aided or abetted this attack, we will find you. You cannot hide.”
Bongino elaborated further, saying the FBI is treating the case as an act of “ideologically motivated violence,” citing early evidence and witness accounts. Authorities are working to determine whether Soliman acted alone or if others played a role in the assault.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also weighed in, confirming that the National Counterterrorism Center is collaborating with the FBI and local law enforcement. “National Counterterrorism Center is working with the FBI and local law enforcement on the ground investigating the targeted terror attack against a weekly meeting of Jewish community members who had just gathered in Boulder, CO to raise awareness of the hostages kidnapped during Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7.”
The incident has sparked renewed concerns over border control, visa enforcement, and national security. Critics argue that this attack illustrates systemic weaknesses in the current immigration and asylum systems—gaps that could be exploited by individuals with dangerous ideological motives.
While the investigation remains ongoing, the facts already uncovered raise serious questions about the ability of U.S. immigration systems to vet and track individuals once they arrive on American soil. The suspect’s ability to remain in the country after his visa expired, secure work authorization, and eventually launch a violent attack demonstrates how bureaucratic delays and enforcement failures can have real, dangerous consequences for American communities.
