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Suspect accused of firebombing protest for Israeli hostages pleads guilty to murder

Kayla Epstein
Watch: How the Boulder attack unfolded using Molotov cocktails

A man accused of firebombing a group of demonstrators advocating for the release of Israeli hostages last year pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in Colorado on Thursday.

Prosecutorssaid Mohamed Sabry Soliman threw Molotov cocktails at the crowd, and injured at least 12 people, one of whom died.

Authorities say he planned the attack for a year, watching videos on explosives before driving from his home in Colorado Springs to Boulder to target the event. He told police after he was arrested that he wanted to "kill all Zionist people", according to court documents.

In addition to the state murder charge, Soliman also faces a federal hate crime charge. He has pleaded not guilty in that case.

Boulder Police Department A mug shot of Soliman wearing a white shirt with bandage on his earBoulder Police Department
Mohamed Sabry Soliman

Soliman faced more than 100 criminal counts in state court, including attempted murder, assault, explosives charges, and cruelty to animals.

A judge read Soliman each charge during the hearing on Thursday morning, and he answered with guilty pleas via an interpreter, CBS News, BBC's US media partner, reported.