Molotov Chaos: Boulder Demonstration Attack Sparks Legal Battle
Mohamed Sabry Soliman, charged with federal hate crime counts, pleaded not guilty to attacking a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder. He allegedly intended to kill participants using Molotov cocktails while opposing Zionism. Soliman's defense attorney argues his actions were politically, not hate, driven, challenging the federal hate crime classification.
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- United States
In a dramatic courtroom scene, Mohamed Sabry Soliman entered a plea of not guilty to federal hate crime charges following his alleged attack on a Boulder demonstration supporting Israeli hostages. The indictment accuses him of trying to kill attendees using Molotov cocktails, an act prosecutors classify as a hate crime.
Court documents reveal Soliman's intent was to target approximately 20 demonstrators at Boulder's Pearl Street pedestrian mall, despite only deploying two incendiary devices. Soliman, an Egyptian national living illegally in the United States, is also facing state charges for attempted murder and possessing explosives.
Defense attorney David Kraut contends the assault was politically motivated, driven by Soliman's anti-Zionist stance rather than ethnic hatred. Federal law, however, demands a definitive distinction between political motives and hate crimes, setting the stage for a complex legal debate.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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