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."