Two teenagers from Pennsylvania have been charged with federal terrorism offenses after allegedly throwing improvised explosive devices at an anti-Islam protest outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's residence on Saturday. Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, face five counts including use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to provide material support to ISIS.
Key Takeaways
Two Pennsylvania teenagers were charged with federal terrorism offenses after allegedly throwing improvised explosive devices at an anti-Islam protest outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's residence. Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, face five counts including use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to provide material support to ISIS.
- Two teens charged with federal terrorism offenses after bomb attempt near Gracie Mansion
- Suspects allegedly inspired by ISIS, one wrote manifesto pledging allegiance to the group
- Devices contained TATP explosive, intercepted before detonation by NYPD officers
- FBI raided Pennsylvania storage facility connected to case, found additional explosives
- Mayor Mamdani condemned violence but focused on defending protest rights
The suspects traveled from Bucks County to Manhattan with homemade bombs constructed from mason jars containing TATP explosive, screws, and bolts. Surveillance footage shows Balat lighting and throwing two devices toward anti-Muslim protesters gathered outside Gracie Mansion. NYPD officers intercepted both smoking devices before detonation.
During separate police interviews, Kayumi allegedly blurted out 'ISIS' as his motivation during arrest, while Balat wrote a manifesto pledging allegiance to the terrorist group and told investigators he wanted to stage an attack larger than the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Both suspects were held without bail following their court appearance Monday.
The incident occurred during an anti-Islam protest organized by far-right activist Jake Lang against Mayor Mamdani, New York's first Muslim mayor. Tensions escalated after pepper spray was used in the crowd of over 100 counter-protesters gathered nearby. The mayor condemned the violence but defended protest rights.
Federal investigators raided a storage facility in Langhorne, Pennsylvania connected to the case, discovering additional explosive devices that were detonated by FBI bomb technicians. Preliminary testing confirmed TATP presence in at least one device used in Saturday's attack. Neither suspect has prior criminal records but both showed signs of radicalization.
NYPD remains on heightened alert following recent geopolitical tensions but hasn't linked the incident to broader conflicts. Mayor Mamdani, who was not home during the attack, focused his public statements on condemning both the bombing attempt and the anti-Islam protest's rhetoric without directly addressing ISIS connections.
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