BOULDER, Colo. — The Egyptian national accused of targeting a Jewish community in Boulder said he didn’t complete his plan to hurl 18 Molotov cocktails because “he got scared,” according to a police affidavit released Wednesday.
Mohamed Soliman, 45, admitted to throwing only two firebombs during the weekend incident, saying he had turned to Molotov cocktails after being unable to purchase a firearm. He showed no remorse for the attack.
“I don’t regret it,” Soliman allegedly told investigators. “I couldn’t buy a gun.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has since detained Soliman’s wife and five children, who are now facing “expedited removal” after their visas were revoked, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed. The extent of their knowledge or involvement remains under investigation. Soliman told police “no one” was aware of his plans.
Among those facing deportation is Soliman’s teenage daughter, Habiba Soliman, an award-winning high school student who had hoped to pursue a career in medicine.
In a scholarship essay submitted to The Denver Gazette, Habiba wrote about the challenges of adapting to life in the United States after immigrating from Kuwait just two years ago.
“Coming to the USA has fundamentally changed me,” she wrote. “I learned to adapt to new things even if it was hard. I learned to work under pressure and improve rapidly in a very short amount of time.”
Habiba, who attended Thomas MacLaren School in Colorado Springs, struggled with English upon arrival and described a lonely sophomore year, during which she had no friends and was often isolated. Despite that, she excelled academically and even took on the challenge of learning German as a foreign language requirement.
Her aspirations to enter the medical field now hang in the balance as her family awaits possible deportation proceedings.
Meanwhile, the Boulder community is preparing to honor the 12 victims of the attempted attack during a vigil Wednesday evening at the Boulder Jewish Community Center. Among those expected to be recognized is 88-year-old Holocaust survivor Barbara Steinmetz, who urged compassion in the aftermath.
“We are better than this,” Steinmetz said. “Let’s show each other decency and respect.”
Editor: Gabriel Ani
