Table Stakes - June 2nd, 2025

Good morning everyone,

I’m Daniel, and welcome to Table Stakes!

Here’s a look at today’s topics:

• Illegal Immigrant Targets Israeli Supporters in Colorado With Molotov Cocktails, Burns Several

• U.S. Resident Charged With Smuggling Mil-Tech To China

• China Takes Heat On Tariffs

Illegal Immigrant Targets Israeli Supporters in Colorado With Molotov Cocktails, Burns Several

_{By: Atlas}

At 1:26 p.m. on Sunday, 1 June 2025, Boulder police and fire units rushed to Pearl Street Mall after multiple 9-1-1 callers reported a shirtless man “setting people on fire.” The target was a weekly “Run for Their Lives” march that raises awareness for the 58 Israelis still held by Hamas since 7 October 2023. Witness videos show the assailant advancing with two clear-glass bottles, each filled with accelerant, and a handheld propane cylinder rigged with an igniter. He threw at least one lit bottle into the crowd and then swept the area with a brief jet of flame, shouting “Free Palestine,” “End Zionists,” and “How many children have you killed?” before bystanders tackled him and pointed him out to arriving officers.

Victims and Immediate Response

Six walkers—four women and two men, all between 67 and 88 years old—suffered burns. Boulder Community Hospital took four victims with second-degree injuries; two more were air-lifted 30 miles to the UCHealth burn unit in Aurora, where one remains in critical condition with airway damage. Paramedics said several victims extinguished their burning clothing by rolling on the pavement, while marchers used bottled water and Israeli flags to smother spot fires. Police secured a three-block radius, briefed bomb technicians on the possibility of additional devices, and evacuated nearby restaurants until a suspicious vehicle was cleared.

Suspect Identification and Immigration Status

The attacker was identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, an Egyptian national who entered the United States at Los Angeles International Airport on 27 August 2022 using a B-1/B-2 visitor visa that expired on 26 February 2023. Department of Homeland Security records indicate that Soliman filed an asylum-related claim a month after arrival and, pending adjudication, obtained a two-year work authorization valid through March 2025. He did not depart when the permit lapsed, making him an immigration overstay subject to removal. Soliman listed a Colorado Springs address on recent DMV paperwork and held a state-issued non-REAL-ID driver’s license.

Law-Enforcement Classification

Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said officers arrested Soliman “without further incident” after a short standoff and transported him for treatment of superficial burns. The local FBI special-agent-in-charge, Mark Michalek, characterized the assault as “ideologically motivated, targeted violence” and confirmed that the bureau opened a domestic terrorism investigation under 18 U.S.C. § 2332f (use of explosives in public places). Preliminary state charges include attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault with a deadly weapon, arson, and possession of an incendiary device; federal weapons-of-mass-destruction counts could follow once the crime-scene lab finishes chemical analysis of the recovered bottles and propane cylinder.

Statements by Officials

• Governor Jared Polis called the bombing “a heinous act of terror on the eve of Shavuot” and pledged state assistance to the victims.

• Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said the facts “point to a hate crime” because the victims were singled out for their perceived Jewish identity.

• FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino each posted that federal assets would “dedicate every necessary resource” to the case.

• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed coordination among Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the Terrorist Screening Center to examine Soliman’s travel history and contacts.

Political and Community Reactions

The incident drew swift condemnation from national and local Jewish organizations, which stressed that the walk was humanitarian, not political. Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said the attack demonstrated that antisemitic violence is “burning in America’s streets.” Run for Their Lives chapters in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles announced temporary volunteer security teams, while the New York Police Department increased heavy-weapons patrols at synagogues for the Shavuot holiday.

Conservative lawmakers linked the bombing to broader border-security failures, noting that Soliman entered legally but remained after visa expiration. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said the case illustrates why “immigration security is national security” and urged Congress to pass overstay-tracking legislation. Progressive members of Congress cautioned against conflating extremist violence with peaceful pro-Palestinian advocacy and called for safeguarding First Amendment activity.

Procedural Steps Ahead

• Detention and Hearing: Soliman waived a bedside advisement and is being held at Boulder County Jail on a no-bond hold. A federal detainer has been lodged to prevent release.

• Evidence Collection: ATF bomb technicians recovered shards from three Molotov cocktails and a modified plumbing-torching nozzle. FBI chemists will test fuel residues to determine accelerant composition and ignition method.

• Digital Forensics: Warrants have been issued for Soliman’s cell phone and social-media accounts to establish motive, financing, and any co-conspirators. Agents are reviewing travel records to see whether he visited extremist gatherings after arriving in the United States.

• Immigration Proceedings: ICE’s Denver field office filed a Notice to Appear in immigration court, charging Soliman under INA § 237(a)(1)(B) for overstay. If criminal prosecution concludes with a conviction, removal proceedings will follow his sentence.

Context of Rising Violence

The Boulder attack occurred ten days after the shooting deaths of two Israeli embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., an incident also accompanied by “Free Palestine” shouts. The Anti-Defamation League reports a 248 percent increase in antisemitic assaults in the United States since Hamas’s October 2023 raid. Federal authorities likewise cite elevated threats against Muslim and Arab communities, underscoring the broader volatility surrounding the Gaza conflict.

Security Implications and Policy Debates

Local law enforcement noted that Soliman’s choice of a Molotov cocktail mirrors tactics promoted in certain online extremist channels that encourage lone-actor attacks on Jewish gatherings. Analysts say soft-target events—small walks, vigils, or religious services—pose detection challenges because they lack fixed perimeters. Boulder police will now assign uniformed officers to future Run for Their Lives walks, and the city is reviewing whether to extend commercial-district camera coverage.

The immigration element has already entered the 2026 campaign narrative: House Homeland Security Committee members intend to question DHS officials on how a recent visa overstay obtained a work permit without triggering enforcement action. Meanwhile, civil-liberties groups warn against policy moves that could stigmatize asylum applicants.

Outlook

Prosecutors expect to present formal state counts by mid-week and to seek a federal terrorism indictment before the end of June, combining both explosives and hate-crime statutes. If convicted on all charges, Soliman faces a potential sentence of life in prison followed by mandatory deportation. Run for Their Lives organizers say they will resume their Sunday walk next week, accompanied by an expanded police detail, to emphasize that intimidation will not halt their advocacy for hostage release. Local faith leaders plan a joint vigil for the victims, underscoring community resolve to uphold peaceful assembly despite rising ideological violence.

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