Defendant in Colorado terror attack sentenced to life in prison

Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who was responsible for last year’s terror attack on a vigil in Boulder, Colorado, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to all state charges against him.Soliman initially pleaded not guilty in the June 1, 2025, attack in which he threw Molotov cocktails at vigil participants, injuring at least 15 and killing an 82-year-old woman, but changed his plea Wednesday to guilty for all 101 state charges. 
The defendant spoke publicly before his sentencing, in which he admitted that he was against Israel but said he regretted carrying out the attack and deserved the death penalty, according to the New York Times. 
He also denied that the attack was driven by antisemitism and was instead driven by a hatred of Zionism, which is a political movement. An attack motivated by political views is not considered a hate crime under federal law.
“Yes, I am against Israel, and I can’t deny that,” he said. “And that’s my right.”
Chief District Judge Nancy Salomone rejected the argument that it was not driven by antisemitism and claimed Soliman carried out the terror attack because the people were Jews.
“You chose to victimize these people because they were members of the Jewish community,” she told him.
Soliman also acknowledged in the court appearance that he was waiving his right to a trial and appeals.
Soliman still faces federal charges for the attack, which could result in the death penalty. But life in prison without parole is the harshest state sentence because Colorado abolished the death penalty.
Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.

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