One of the victims of the terrorist attack on Jewish demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, is a Holocaust survivor. The 88-year-old woman narrowly survived another encounter with the deadly scourge of antisemitism.
She already “endured the worst evil in human history” and “came to America seeking safety,” stated Leo Terrell, who heads the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism at the Justice Department. “Now, decades later, she’s victimized again.”
“The attack on this survivor reminds me of the horror of October 7, (2023), when Holocaust survivors were murdered and dragged away by Hamas terrorists in Israel,” Terrell said. “But this time, it happened here. In our country. This is all caused by the same type of hatred: antisemitism.”
The elderly woman is now home from the hospital, recovering from her injuries, along with most of the 12 people who were also injured in the attack.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt points out that this is the second terror attack against Jews in just two weeks. The other incident was a targeted shooting that took the lives of two Jewish diplomats in Washington, D.C.
MORE: Suspect in Hate-Fueled Slaying of 2 Jewish Staffers in DC Announced, ‘I Did It for Palestine’
“We have seen two horrific cases of antisemitic violence in our country in the last two weeks, and it is unacceptable to this president and this White House. And rest assured, to all Jewish Americans across our great country, this president has your back,” she said.
New Details on Terrorist
As more details about the attack emerge, shocking new video has been released, showing the moment the suspect began throwing Molotov cocktails into the crowd of peaceful protestors.
The 45-year-old Egyptian man charged in the attack was in the U.S. illegally. He shouted “Free Palestine!” during the incident that the FBI is calling a “targeted terror attack” against Jews.
Mohamed Sabry Soliman reportedly prepared 18 deadly Molotov devices, but was only able to throw two of them and apparently set himself on fire by accident in the process.
Officials said he had tried to buy a firearm for the attack. They also say he shows no remorse.
Terrorist Was in U.S. Illegally, His Family Has Been Detained
Soliman was born in Egypt and moved three years ago to Colorado Springs, where he lived with his wife and five children, according to state court documents.
He overstayed his tourist visa since early 2023 and is therefore in the U.S. illegally. His wife and five children are now in ICE custody and are facing deportation.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said authorities were investigating whether his family knew about his plan.
Secretary Leavitt said, “This individual, this terrorist, was allowed into this country by the previous administration, was foolishly given a tourism visa, and then was illegally allowed to stay. These individuals are going to be deported, and we’re not going to tolerate such violence in our country.”
Hundreds of thousands of U.S. visitors are known to overstay their visas each year. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, there were 565,155 visa overstays from October 2022 through September 2023 among “tourists” and “businessmen” who came to the U.S. by plane or ship.
The total number of overstays is much larger, but has not been quantified because it does not include how many people arrive and leave by land.
Jewish Community Shaken
Meanwhile, the attack in Boulder has shaken the city’s Jewish community.
Six members of Rabbi Marc Soloway’s Congregation Bonai Shalom were injured, including the 88-year-old Holocaust survivor.
“She’s an incredibly resilient person who, um, is horrified,” Rabbi Soloway said. “We’re talking literally a Jew who was targeted and burned and was lying on the ground in flames, and the image of that for our people is just something that we’ll never forget, that this could happen in the streets of Boulder, Colorado in 2025.”
