The Wyoming congressional delegation expressed strong condemnation Monday following a violent attack in Boulder, Colorado, carried out by an undocumented Egyptian national using a homemade flamethrower and Molotov cocktails. Lawmakers attributed the incident to President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, which they say enabled the suspect to remain in the United States.
Forty-five-year-old Mohamed Soliman allegedly targeted a group of peaceful protesters in downtown Boulder Sunday afternoon. Witnesses reported Soliman shouting “Free Palestine” while hurling incendiary devices, injuring 12 people. Authorities arrested Soliman, who is currently held on $10 million bail.
At a Monday press briefing, FBI agent Mark Mihalek described the attack as “senseless, irrational, and horrific.” Investigators also recovered 16 unused Molotov cocktails at the scene.
Soliman faces multiple charges, including 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder, 16 counts of attempted use of incendiary devices, and two counts of arson. Combined, these charges carry a maximum sentence of up to 588 years in prison. U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Graybill confirmed hate crime charges are pending and signaled additional federal charges may follow.
Graybill further stated that Soliman admitted to planning the attack for a year and expressed animosity toward Zionist groups.
Wyoming Lawmakers Condemn Immigration Enforcement Failures
Republican Representative Harriet Hageman called the attack a “targeted act of terrorism” and criticized the fact that Soliman was in the U.S. illegally on an expired B2 visa. In a statement to the Wyoming Cowboy State Daily, Hageman attributed the attack to lax immigration enforcement and Biden’s “open border” policies, arguing they jeopardize American lives.
Senator Cynthia Lummis echoed these concerns on social media platform X, describing the attack as “one of the consequences of Biden’s open borders” and accusing the administration and Democrats of inviting “hatred against our country” by permitting illegal immigration.
In a statement to the Cowboy State Daily, Lummis called for stricter immigration controls, emphasizing the need to “eradicate this evil” from the nation. She highlighted that the suspect, an illegal immigrant shouting “Free Palestine” and allowed entry by the Biden administration, attempted to kill peaceful Jewish Americans, including an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor.
Former President Donald Trump also weighed in on Truth Social, condemning Biden’s “ridiculous open border policy” as “a serious harm to our country” and reiterated calls for stronger border security and deportation of “anti-American radical illegal immigrants.”
Investigation and Legal Proceedings Update
When questioned about the absence of terrorism charges, U.S. Attorney Graybill said such charges remain possible as the investigation continues. Current charges directly address the attack itself.
Graybill disclosed that authorities quickly gathered evidence showing Soliman attacked a peaceful crowd protesting to raise awareness about Israeli hostages in Gaza using homemade incendiary devices. “He said he wanted them dead, he has no remorse, and he would do it again,” Graybill said.
Because Soliman is an undocumented immigrant, he could not legally purchase a firearm. Instead, he fashioned Molotov cocktails and a flamethrower, carrying flammable liquids in a backpack to carry out the attack.
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn confirmed that no fatalities occurred; of the 12 injured, only two remained hospitalized Monday afternoon.
Following the incident, the FBI searched Soliman’s Colorado Springs residence and seized digital and other evidence. Both the FBI Director and the Boulder Police Chief noted that prior to the attack, Soliman was not flagged as a potential threat.
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