Two men have been charged with terror offences after allegedly attempting to bomb a protest outside the New York City mayor’s home, police said, with the attack reportedly inspired by the Islamic State group (IS).
The suspects, 18-year-old Emir Balat and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi, allegedly told investigators they intended the attack to be «even larger» than the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, which killed three people and injured hundreds.
Explosives discovered outside mayor’s residence
Authorities said the pair attempted to detonate two explosive devices outside Gracie Mansion, where New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani lives. A third bomb was later discovered in the suspects’ car.
The incident occurred during an anti-Islam protest. None of the devices detonated as intended. Video from the scene shows one of the suspects being detained seconds after lighting an explosive, which failed to explode.
Jessica Tisch said the suspects admitted they had been inspired by IS and had watched the group’s propaganda videos. She noted neither had a previous criminal record.
They are facing charges including attempting to provide material support to IS and using a weapon of mass destruction.
«We were fortunate that the devices used this weekend did not cause the kind of harm that they were certainly capable of causing,» Tisch said at a press conference on Monday. «But luck is never a strategy. Devices like these have the potential to cause devastating harm.»
Tisch said Balat made several statements referencing IS while being transported to a police station, including:
«If I didn’t do it, someone else will come and do it.»
She added that he later said he hoped the attack would be «even bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing», which he noted resulted in three deaths.
Court hearing and investigation
During their first court appearance on Monday, both suspects appeared in prison jumpsuits. A federal magistrate judge ordered they remain in custody until their next hearing scheduled for April 8.
Balat’s lawyer told reporters his client is a high school senior and a U.S. citizen with no previous arrests, adding that he has «complicated stuff going on» in his personal life.
Court documents state that both suspects waived their constitutional right to remain silent after being arrested.
According to the criminal complaint, Balat asked for paper and wrote a message pledging allegiance to IS and calling for the death of nonbelievers. Kayumi reportedly told investigators he had watched IS propaganda on his phone and was partly motivated by the group.
Police identify explosive devices
Investigators later determined the explosives contained triacetone triperoxide, a highly volatile homemade explosive previously used in other terrorist attacks.
Police also located a car linked to the suspects on the Upper East Side. Using a robot, officers found another device inside that was similar to the first two.
The bombs were reportedly made from glass bottles filled with explosive material and packed with nuts and bolts to create fragmentation, along with a firework-style fuse.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the devices were improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, and confirmed that the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force was investigating.
Protest clashes and further arrests
Police said the protest outside the mayor’s residence had been organised by Jake Lang, a far-right influencer who was pardoned for offences related to the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
Authorities said the protest group was outnumbered by more than 100 counter-protesters.
Video verified by CBS News shows Balat throwing the first lit device, which extinguished itself after hitting a barrier. He then took a second device from Kayumi, ignited it and began running before dropping it.
In a statement, Mamdani said the suspects «should be held fully accountable for their actions».
«We will continue to keep New Yorkers safe. We will not tolerate terrorism or violence in our city,» he said.
Separately, police arrested 21-year-old Ian McGuiness for allegedly using pepper spray on counter-protesters. He and three others have been charged with disorderly conduct and obstruction.
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