BOULDER, Colo. – An observant Jewish couple described the horror of finding out that their neighbor, whose wife recently knocked on their door with a housewarming gift, was suspected of firebombing a peaceful pro-Israel demonstration in the heart of Boulder.

The Costello family had barely begun unpacking boxes in their new Colorado Springs home when the FBI showed up at their doorstep and explained a neighbor, illegal Egyptian immigrant Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, was arrested for allegedly injuring 12 people in front of the Boulder County courthouse.

“I come home, and the FBI is waiting at my door. That’s a scary moment,” David Costello shared with Fox News Digital. “They told us, ‘You’re not in trouble,’ but then they asked if we knew what happened in Boulder.”

The Costellos said they knew of the Solimans, having met Soliman’s wife when she showed up on their front steps offering cupcakes to welcome them to the neighborhood.

Soliman is currently being held on a $10 million bond and faces multiple charges, including attempted murder and federal hate crimes. According to authorities, he admitted to planning the attack for over a year and expressed a desire to harm “Zionist people.”

“It’s unnerving,” Rivkah said. “They said bail was set at $10 million, but that still means there’s a possibility he could be released—and we live right across the street. We have five young children. This is terrifying.”

“I hope people understand what that means for a Jewish family living across the street from someone accused of terrorism,” she said.

David said the holiday of Shavuot, which celebrates Jewish unity, made the timing of the FBI visit especially meaningful. 

“We really felt like it was a miracle. While symbols like a mezuzah might make you a target, they also offer spiritual protection,” he said.

The couple and their family shared that their hope is that antisemitic sentiment does not continue to escalate.

“We really don’t want to move again,” David said. “But if it becomes dangerous, we may not have a choice.”

Flowers on police barricades outside the Boulder County Courthouse on June 2, 2025, in Boulder, Colorado. (Chet Strange/Getty Images)

We’re choosing to stand.

— David Costello

Despite the fear, they say the experience has only strengthened their commitment to staying visible and vocal about their faith.

“When you’re pushed, you can either disappear or stand your ground,” David said. “We’re choosing to stand.”