DOJ Charges Pennsylvania Teens Who Hurled ISIS-Inspired IEDs at Mayor Zohran Mamdani's Residence

An incident at Gracie Mansion on March 7 involved improvised explosive devices being thrown outside New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's residence during protests.

“An improvised explosive device that was thrown Saturday during protests in front of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence, and two other devices, are being investigated as an ISIS-inspired act of terrorism, New York Police Department commissioner Jessica Tisch said Monday”

CNN

Daily Voice reports that 18-year-old Emir Balat of Langhorne and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi of Newtown (Bucks County) have been federally charged after allegedly throwing those devices, the Justice Department said March 9.

CNN

CNN describes the devices as being investigated as an 'ISIS-inspired act of terrorism,' quoting NYPD leadership: 'An improvised explosive device thrown Saturday during protests outside New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's residence — plus two other devices — are being investigated as an ISIS-inspired act of terrorism,' NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Monday.

One other source included a brief, unclear note that 'Three others were taken into custody but were released without charges. After the Jan.'; that snippet is incomplete and its relation to the Gracie Mansion case is not clear from the available text.

Authorities said none of the devices detonated, but officials warned the thrown device could have caused serious harm.

CNN reported, "None of the devices detonated, but police said the first could have caused 'serious injury or death.'"

Republic World

Daily Voice provided forensic detail, reporting the suspected devices were jar-style bombs packed with nuts, bolts and fuses, and that a preliminary analysis found TATP in one device.

A Republic World fragment remains ambiguous and adds no technical detail, quoting: "Three others were taken into custody but were released without charges. After the Jan."

Reporting describes a volatile protest context at Gracie Mansion that afternoon.

“Updated 10 March 2026 at 02:57 IST ‘Inspired By Islamic State’: Pennsylvania Suspects Pledged Allegiance To ISIS Before Thwarted IED Attack At Mamdani’s Residence Two Pennsylvania suspects were charged with terrorism and using weapons of mass destruction after hurling ISIS-inspired IEDs during a protest at Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence”

Republic World

CNN’s timeline places the confrontation 'during Ramadan at Gracie Mansion' where an anti‑Islam protest organized by right‑wing influencer Jake Lang (about 20 people) was met by a larger counterprotest, 'Kick Nazis Out of New York' (about 125 people).

CNN details a rapid escalation: about 12:15 p.m. a demonstrator linked to Lang’s group sprayed pepper spray at counterprotesters.

Roughly 20 minutes later a counterprotester threw a lit improvised device toward the protest area, and video showed flame and smoke as the device landed near officers.

Daily Voice likewise situates the incident at protests outside Gracie Mansion on March 7.

The Republic World snippet appears in the corpus but does not clarify the protest timeline, stating 'Three others were taken into custody but were released without charges. After the Jan.'

There is a notable discrepancy in public reporting about whether federal charges had been filed at the time of different outlets’ coverage.

Daily Voice states the pair "have been federally charged … the Justice Department said March 9," and specifies the alleged statutory counts: "The suspects are charged federally with attempted provision of material support to a foreign terrorist organization and use of a weapon of mass destruction."

Republic World

By contrast, CNN reported that the two men "admitted to being inspired by ISIS, police sources told CNN; authorities have not yet filed charges."

The two accounts cannot be reconciled from the available snippets; the publications present different status updates on charging and prosecution timing.

Investigators recovered materials and described an ongoing probe into related locations, while officials characterized the act as ISIS-inspired.

“Monday, mar 9 SHARE Two Pennsylvania teens accused of throwing improvised explosive devices outside the New York City residence of Mayor Zohran Mamdani have now been charged in a federal terrorism case, the U”

Daily Voice

Daily Voice reports investigators recovered materials from a vehicle linked to Balat, including a hobby fuse, a metal can similar to the devices, and a notebook referencing TATP ingredients.

CNN

Daily Voice also quotes officials calling the incident 'ISIS-inspired' and attributes an alleged statement by Balat that he wanted to 'exceed the Boston Marathon bombing.'

CNN notes a third device was found the following day and that NYPD Commissioner Tisch said the incident was 'investigated as an ISIS-inspired act of terrorism.'

Daily Voice also notes that authorities conducted a visible investigation in Newtown Township, though any connection to the Gracie Mansion case has not been confirmed.

Republic World includes a fragment that says 'Three others were taken into custody but were released without charges. After the Jan.' and the available text adds no further investigatory detail, leaving that fragment incomplete.