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US authorities are investigating a potential terrorist incident in Colorado after a man allegedly attacked a demonstration in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza using a flame-thrower and Molotov cocktails.
Six people were injured in the assault, which took place in downtown Boulder during a weekly walk in support of the hostages.
The attacker was armed with a “makeshift flame-thrower” and was heard to shout “Free Palestine” during the attack, according to the FBI.
A 45-year-old man, named as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was arrested at the scene.
“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,” said Mark Michalek, the special agent in charge of the investigation during a press conference late on Sunday.
The attack comes just over a week after two Israeli embassy staff members were shot and killed outside an event at a Jewish museum in Washington.
Colorado governor Jared Polis condemned what he described as a “vicious act of terrorism” and said it was “unfathomable that the Jewish community is facing another terror attack here in Boulder”.
The victims of the Boulder attack were aged between 67 and 88, according to local law enforcement. All six were being treated in hospitals on Sunday night, with one in critical condition.
Police said they responded to an incident at 1:26pm local time following emergency calls from the city’s downtown area.
“Our officers rushed as quickly as they could — some were close to the area — and they immediately ran into a chaotic situation where a man was throwing Molotov cocktails and using other devices to hurt people,” said Boulder police chief Stephen Redfearn.
“Our officers, as they’re trained, immediately interacted with the suspect, took him into custody and then began rendering aid to those victims.”
The attack took place on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot during a weekly walk to support the Israeli hostages being held in Gaza.
“The attack in Boulder is another example of a wave of domestic terror attacks aimed at the Jewish community,” said Eric Fingerhut, president of the Jewish Federations of North America, as he called on the government to increase security at Jewish events and institutions.
FBI director Kash Patel described the incident as “a targeted terror attack” and said federal agents were working with local police to investigate.
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