Terror suspect’s family taken into ICE custody following Boulder attack

ICE authorities took the family members of the Boulder, Colorado, terror suspect and Egyptian national, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, into custody. — Image credit: Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images

Summary

Terror accusations

Mohamed Soliman, an Egyptian national residing in the U.S. without proper documentation, is accused of throwing Molotov cocktails into a pro-Israel crowd in Boulder, Colorado, injuring 12 people.

ICE detains suspect's family

Federal authorities have taken his wife and five children into ICE custody and placed them in expedited removal proceedings.

Hate crime charges filed

Soliman is facing more than 15 charges, including attempted first-degree murder, that, if convicted, would see him spend the rest of his life in prison.

Full story

Authorities with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took the family members of the Boulder, Colorado, terror suspect and Egyptian national, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, into custody, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post on X. Authorities say Soliman had overstayed his work visa and was residing in the U.S. unlawfully.

“Now, Mohamed’s despicable actions will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Noem said in the video announcement. “But we’re also investigating to what extent his family knew about this horrific attack, if they had any knowledge of it or if they provided support to it.”

Soliman, 45, is accused of wounding 12 people after he fired a makeshift flamethrower and threw Molotov cocktails into a pro-Israel crowd in Boulder on Sunday, June 1. Soliman disguised himself as a gardener when he approached the crowd, shouting, “Free Palestine.”

Family taken into custody

Federal immigration authorities have now taken Soliman’s wife and five children into custody.

Straight Arrow News requested information from the Justice Department regarding any potential charges the family might face. The DOJ responded by providing Soliman’s criminal complaint.

Meanwhile, an official White House account posted to social media, saying, “JUST IN: The wife and five children of illegal alien Mohamed Soliman—the suspect in the antisemitic firebombing of Jewish Americans—have been captured and are now in ICE custody for expedited removal. THEY COULD BE DEPORTED AS EARLY AS TONIGHT.”

Soliman’s family is undergoing expedited removal proceedings, a process that allows for deportation without a formal court hearing.

Hate crime charges filed

Soliman is charged with a hate crime that carries a 10-year prison sentence, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. However, he’s also facing more than 15 other charges, including attempted first-degree murder, that, if convicted, would see him spend the rest of his life in prison.

He is being held in the Boulder County Jail on a $10 million cash bond and is scheduled to appear in court Friday, June 6.

Zachary Hill (Video Editor), Cole Lauterbach (Managing Editor), and Drew Pittock (Digital Producer) contributed to this report.

Tags: Colorado, Department of Homeland Security, Domestic terrorism, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Kristi Noem, Terrorist Attack

[LAUREN KEENAN]

FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES TOOK THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE BOULDER, COLORADO TERROR SUSPECT AND EGYPTIAN NATIONAL INTO ICE CUSTODY – DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM SAID IN A POST ON X.

[KRISTI NOEM]

“NOW, MOHAMED’S DESPICABLE ACTIONS WILL BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW. BUT WE’RE ALSO INVESTIGATING TO WHAT EXTENT HIS FAMILY KNEW ABOUT THIS HORRIFIC ATTACK, IF THEY HAD ANY KNOWLEDGE OF IT OR IF THEY PROVIDED SUPPORT TO IT.”

[LAUREN KEENAN]

45 YEAR OLD MOHAMED SOLIMAN IS ACCUSED OF WOUNDING 12 PEOPLE – UNLEASHING A MAKESHIFT FLAMETHROWER AND MOLOTOV COCKTAILS INTO A PRO-ISRAEL CROWD IN BOULDER SUNDAY.

SOLIMAN DISGUISED HIMSELF AS A GARDENER WHEN HE APPROACHED THE CROWD SHOUTING “FREE PALESTINE,” AND THROWING TWO MOLOTOV COCKTAILS, ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS.

AUTHORITIES SAY SOLIMAN HAD OVERSTAYED HIS WORK VISA AND WAS RESIDING IN THE U.S. UNLAWFULLY.

FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES HAVE NOW TAKEN SOLIMAN’S WIFE AND FIVE CHILDREN INTO CUSTODY.

THE OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE ACCOUNT POSTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA SAYING: “JUST IN: THE WIFE AND FIVE CHILDREN OF ILLEGAL ALIEN MOHAMED SOLIMAN—THE SUSPECT IN THE ANTISEMITIC FIREBOMBING OF JEWISH AMERICANS—HAVE BEEN CAPTURED AND ARE NOW IN ICE CUSTODY FOR EXPEDITED REMOVAL. THEY COULD BE DEPORTED AS EARLY AS TONIGHT.”

SOLIMAN’S FAMILY IS UNDERGOING EXPEDITED REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS, A PROCESS THAT ALLOWS FOR DEPORTATION WITHOUT A FORMAL COURT HEARING.

SOLIMAN IS CHARGED WITH A HATE CRIME “INVOLVING ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RACE, RELIGION, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN.” HE’S FACING UP TO TEN YEARS IN PRISON AND A $250 THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE.

HE IS BEING HELD IN THE BOULDER COUNTY JAIL ON A $10 MILLION CASH BOND AND SCHEDULED TO APPEAR IN COURT FRIDAY.

FOR SAN, I’M LK.

Why this story matters

The detention of Mohamed Sabry Soliman's family by U.S. immigration authorities after his alleged hate-motivated attack on a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colo., raises questions about immigration enforcement, hate crimes, and the treatment and legal rights of family members in such cases.

Immigration enforcement

The immediate detention and possible expedited removal of the suspect's family members highlight increased scrutiny of immigration status in cases involving national security or terrorism allegations.

Hate crimes and violence

Soliman’s alleged attack on a group advocating for the release of Israeli hostages, described in court documents and by authorities as antisemitic, underscores the ongoing concern about politically or religiously motivated violence in the U.S.

Due process and family rights

The investigation into whether Soliman’s family was aware of or aided his actions draws attention to the legal complexities and potential civil liberties concerns around associating family members with the alleged acts of an individual.

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Community reaction

Local Jewish communities are reportedly shocked and distressed by the attack, with community leaders and organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League calling for unity and holding vigils for the victims. Victims’ families have requested privacy, while organizers of the affected events are emphasizing peace and resilience in the face of violence.

Debunking

Authorities, citing investigation records, state that Soliman has confessed to planning and executing the attack alone, and that he told investigators he did not share his intentions with any family members. Officials from law enforcement and immigration agencies note that his wife and children have cooperated, with no evidence publicly released tying them to the attack at this stage.

Do the math

According to published numbers, Soliman is charged with 16 counts of attempted murder and faces both state and federal hate crime charges. Reports mention he is being held on a $10 million bond. U.S. officials note that hundreds of thousands of individuals overstay visas annually, with a 4% overstay rate for Egyptian visitors on business or tourist visas.

Sources

Bias comparison

Media outlets on the left frame the story with an emphasis on the human impact and immigration enforcement’s moral complexities, highlighting Soliman’s family ties and his daughter’s accomplishments to evoke empathy, while using terms like “attack” and “taken into ICE custody” to underscore power imbalances.
Not enough coverage from media outlets in the center to provide a bias comparison.
Media outlets on the right employ emotionally charged language such as “terrorist,” “illegal alien,” and “firebombed pro-Israel crowd,” amplifying a security threat narrative that links the incident to lax immigration policies and calls for strict enforcement, exemplified by mentions of ICE tip lines and government crackdowns.

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Media landscape

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Key points from the Left

Mohamed Sabry Soliman is accused of attacking a pro-Israeli demonstration in Boulder, Colorado, injuring 12 people aged 52 to 88 with Molotov cocktails while yelling "Free Palestine" during an event on June 1.
The wife and five children of Soliman have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement for expedited removal.
Soliman faces multiple charges, including a federal hate crime and attempted murder, with a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.
After learning he could not buy a gun, Soliman taught himself to make Molotov cocktails from YouTube videos, according to a federal affidavit.

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Key points from the Center

The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are taking the family of Boulder attack suspect Mohamed Soliman into custody for investigation.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that Soliman's family is in ICE custody and stated they are investigating their knowledge of the attack.
FBI officials report that the attack resulted in at least 12 victims, with two still hospitalized.
Federal officials are investigating whether Soliman's family provided any support for the attack.

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Key points from the Right

The family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, accused of a violent attack in Boulder, Colorado, has been taken into ICE custody for expedited deportation as they were living in the U.S. illegally after overstaying a visa.
Mohamed Soliman used Molotov cocktails during an attack on a pro-Israel gathering, injuring 12 people, with no regrets about his actions as reported by investigators.
Officials are investigating whether Soliman's family had any knowledge or support regarding his attack, according to Noem's social media statement.

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