An Egyptian national, accused of attacking a group of Israeli hostage supporters with a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails during a Colorado solidarity walk on Sunday, was reportedly in the United States illegally after his visa expired in March.
Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement sources informed Fox News that terror suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, initially entered the U.S. through Los Angeles International Airport on August 27, 2022.
Having arrived on a non-immigrant visa, Soliman was permitted to remain until February 26, 2023, but he did not depart once his original visa period ended.
After filing a claim, he was cleared for work authorization by US Citizenship and Immigration Services on March 29, 2023. But that second chance only lasted through this March, meaning Soliman has remained in the US illegally for a little over two months, Fox reported.
“A terror attack was committed in Boulder, Colorado by an illegal alien. He was granted a tourist visa by the Biden Administration and then he illegally overstayed that visa. In response, the Biden Administration gave him a work permit. Suicidal migration must be fully reversed,” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller wrote on X.
Soliman’s LAX landing wasn’t his first attempt to enter the country.
In 2005, the Egyptian was denied a visa to enter the country, law enforcement officials told CNN. It is unclear if he tried again before 2022, when he was ultimately approved.
The Department of Homeland Security is working alongside the FBI to investigate the “terrorist attack,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed.
Soliman was arrested and identified as the suspect in the fiery attack against a group of people, largely comprised of the elderly, participating in a walk for the Israeli hostages still being held captive by Hamas.
He was allegedly waiting for the group at one of their scheduled stops on their walk.
Pictures showed a shirtless Soliman holding two bottles of clear liquid that were allegedly used as a homemade incendiary device. He also allegedly used a “makeshift flamethrower” to attack the group, officials said.
Eight victims — four men and four women between the ages of 52 and 88 — were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. At least one person was in critical condition as of Sunday evening.
Soliman was also injured during the attack and treated at a nearby hospital.
The FBI confirmed it is investigating the firebomb assault as an act of terrorism.
“As a result of these preliminary facts, it is clear that this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism,” FBI Denver Special Agent Mark Michalek said at a press conference.
