Atrocity by way of asylum

For Muslims who interpret the Quran literally and follow Muhammad’s teachings as written, Jews are considered the worst of creatures and the gravest of enemies. This belief lies at the heart of a recent incident in Colorado.

Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian national, entered the United States on a tourist visa in 2022, bringing his wife and five children. After overstaying their visas, they applied for asylum—an increasingly common pattern for those seeking to relocate to the United States.

On June 1, Soliman was charged with a federal hate crime following a violent attack in Boulder, Colo. He targeted a peaceful Jewish demonstration advocating for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Armed with a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails, Soliman injured eight people. Court documents revealed his explicit intent to “kill all Zionist people.” The attack was premeditated, planned over the course of a year, and motivated by deep-seated hatred toward Israel and Jews.

Soliman’s anti-Jewish views are unmistakable, and his Islamic convictions are equally evident. According to CNN, his Facebook page expressed support for the Muslim Brotherhood—a radical Islamist organization that seeks to establish an Islamic state governed by Islamic Sharia, blending political activism with religious ideology. Soliman’s support for the Brotherhood underscores his alignment with its extremist framework and helps explain the ideological motivations behind his attack. This is evident in a video he posted, where magnifies jihad, praises Allah, and degrades the United States, as he states, “Allah is greater than anything. Allah is greater than the Zionists, Allah is greater than America and its weapons, Allah is greater than the F-35 planes, Allah is greater than everything else. So why do we fear those who are inferior to Allah rather than fear Allah Himself?”

This incident speaks volumes about our asylum system and our view of political Islam.

Soliman’s actions weren’t spontaneous. They were the result of a deeply rooted ideological commitment to Islam, influenced by the radical teachings of groups like Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. After remaining in the country beyond the terms of his visa and obtaining legal work status by the generous country he despises, he took advantage of a system that operates on procedural goodwill. This incident wasn’t merely a lapse in immigration enforcement. It reflected a deeper problem: the failure to recognize and address the quiet spread of extremist beliefs, which can turn well-intentioned asylum mechanisms into pathways for ideologically motivated aggression.

Soliman’s attack was driven by his hatred of “Zionists”—a term that many Muslims use broadly to refer to all Jews, not just a particular political group. Within this context, the word carries derogatory and hostile connotations. Soliman saw the peaceful Jewish demonstrators as “Zionists” and admitted to targeting them because he “wanted to kill all Zionist people.” He showed no remorse, stating that he would do it again if given the chance.

This mindset cannot be separated from Islamic teachings as interpreted by some literalist Muslims. Islam’s prophet Muhammad reportedly stated, “You shall fight the Jews. You will gain such control over them, that a rock will say: ‘O Muslim! This Jew is behind me, so kill him!’” It is plausible that Soliman believed he was fulfilling a divine mandate as he attempted to set Jewish demonstrators on fire. His own words make clear his intent to kill those he perceives as Jews—under the label of “Zionists”—and reflect a literal interpretation of Islamic texts.

In short, Soliman is a devout Muslim who wants to apply Islam’s commands as written. He doesn’t view himself an extremist, but as a devoted Muslim.

But this incident also reveals a deeper, more troubling tension: the complex relationship some Muslims have with the West—and the United States in particular. Many seek to enter America to benefit from its freedoms, prosperity, and opportunities that far surpass those in their home countries. Yet, at the same time, they closely adhere to a religious ideology that fosters hostility toward anything un-Islamic. In such cases, their ultimate loyalty isn’t to the nation that offers them prosperity, refuge, and opportunity, but to an ideology of Islamic supremacy that breeds resentment and contempt.

Soliman’s open support for the Muslim Brotherhood further underscores this reality. His social media activity reveals alignment with the Brotherhood’s anti-Israel and anti-Jewish stance, which often manifests in anti-Semitic rhetoric and violence. The Muslim Brotherhood has long depicted Israel as a primary enemy and frequently conflates anti-Zionism with broad anti-Jewish sentiment in its extremist circles. It is time for the United States to take decisive action and formally designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, thereby restricting its ability to operate freely within the country and across the West. Numerous voices have called for this move, and we shouldn’t wait for another catastrophic attack to act.

In a baffling development, a U.S. judge issued a temporary stay on deportation efforts for Soliman’s family. This decision reflects the ongoing tension between the judicial system and the policies of President Donald Trump. But regardless of political differences, we must unite in safeguarding our nation from individuals who openly despise the values we uphold. Don’t allow radical Islamists to exploit our systems while harboring hostility toward our way of life. We cannot afford to play with fire.