On Sunday, at least eight individuals were hurt during an incident in Boulder when someone employed a crude flamethrower and threw an explosive device at bystanders demanding the freeing of Israeli captives in Gaza.
The authorities stated that the attacker, named as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, shouted "Free Palestine" prior to assaulting the gathering, which the FBI is considering an act of terrorism.
The individuals involved, who range in age from 52 to 88 years old, have been transported to medical facilities within the Denver metropolitan area suffering from injuries categorized as minor to severe. Authorities mentioned they are receiving treatment primarily for burn wounds along with various other traumas.
Soliman was apprehended at the location and transported to the medical facility for care; however, officials did not provide details about his wounds.
A clip depicted him without a shirt, clutching two see-through bottles filled with a colorless fluid, yelling at participants who gathered in a walkway for a non-violent demonstration regarding Israeli captives remains detained in Gaza.
A different clip captures a bystander yelling, "He's right there! He's tossing Molotov cocktails," as an armed law enforcement officer moved towards the alleged perpetrator.
The FBI leadership in Washington stated that they were handling the incident as an act of terrorism. The Justice Department, responsible for probing crimes motivated by religious, racial, or ethnic reasons, condemned the assault as a "gratuitous act of violence," following previous incidents targeting Jewish Americans.
This incident of terrorism is currently under investigation as an act of ideologically driven violence, according to initial information, evidence, and eyewitness reports," stated FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino in a post on X. We will provide clear updates on these events once the facts support doing so.
The authorities think Soliman deliberately targeted the protesters, who form a voluntary organization named Run for Their Lives. This group arranges running and walking activities to advocate for the swift liberation of the Israeli captives still held in Gaza following their seizure by armed groups at the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2023.
Prosecutors 'fully united'
The event in Colorado occurs amid heightened tensions in the U.S. due to Israel's conflict in the Gaza Strip, leading to a rise in anti-Semitic incidents.
One week prior, two employees of the Israeli Embassy were killed by gunfire in Washington when a man shouted, "This is for Palestine," before being taken into custody by law enforcement.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified measures against pro-Palestinian demonstrations, arresting participants who oppose the conflict and withholding financial support from American colleges that allowed these gatherings to take place.
Prosecutors stated that they were "completely unified" in their commitment to ensure the perpetrator faces full accountability. The Boulder Police Department announced plans to enhance security measures before multiple events marking the Jewish festival of Shavuot, which is set to occur over the coming two days.
The Boulder Jewish Community Center issued a statement saying, "When incidents of this nature impact our local community, we are deeply affected. We aspire to support each other during these times."
Posting Komentar