FBI Labels Boulder Firebombing Targeted Terror Attack Amid Media Disputes

A pro-Israel event in Boulder, Colorado, was violently attacked when Mohamad Soliman threw Molotov cocktails at demonstrators, injuring multiple people including an elderly woman. The FBI, under Director Kash Patel, classified the incident as a 'targeted terror attack,' citing Soliman's anti-Israel slogans such as "End Zionists" and "Free Palestine" during the assault. While FBI officials Dan Bongino and Patel condemned the attack as terrorism, CNN and some media figures questioned the classification, highlighting the Boulder police chief's hesitancy to label it terrorism and criticizing the FBI for moving ahead of local authorities. CNN's coverage, including commentary from Juliette Kayyem and the involvement of former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, drew backlash for downplaying the attack and casting doubt on the FBI's assessment. Israeli diplomats and politicians also strongly condemned the attack, framing it as part of a broader wave of antisemitic violence spreading beyond the Middle East. The incident has sparked debate about media responses and the politicization of terrorism definitions in the U.S.