An Egyptian national, identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, is under investigation for a violent attack on a group of Israeli hostage supporters during a solidarity walk in Colorado. Soliman, who allegedly used a homemade flamethrower and Molotov cocktails in the assault, was reportedly in the United States illegally after his visa expired in March.
Soliman first entered the U.S. through Los Angeles International Airport on Aug. 27, 2022, according to sources from Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He was granted a non-immigrant visa, which allowed him to stay in the country until Feb. 26, 2023. However, Soliman overstayed his visa.
After filing a claim, Soliman was granted work authorization by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on March 29, 2023. This authorization, however, only lasted until this March, meaning Soliman has been in the U.S. illegally for just over two months.
This incident has sparked criticism of the current administration’s immigration policies. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller expressed his concern, stating that the attack was committed by an illegal alien who was granted a tourist visa and then overstayed it. He further criticized the administration for granting Soliman a work permit.
Interestingly, this was not Soliman’s first attempt to enter the U.S. In 2005, his visa application was denied, according to law enforcement officials. It remains unclear if he made any other attempts to enter the country before his successful entry in 2022.
The Department of Homeland Security is collaborating with the FBI to investigate the incident, which they are treating as a terrorist attack. Soliman was arrested and identified as the suspect in the attack, which targeted a group of people, mostly elderly, participating in a walk for Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Eight victims, four men and four women aged between 52 and 88, were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment following the attack. At least one person was in critical condition as of Sunday evening. Soliman was also injured during the attack and received treatment at a nearby hospital.
The FBI has confirmed that it is investigating the incident as an act of terrorism. FBI Denver Special Agent Mark Michalek stated at a press conference that the preliminary facts indicate a targeted act of violence, leading to the classification of the incident as an act of terrorism.