Crime08 March, 20262 min read
Pam Bondi Indicts Two ISIS-Inspired Suspects Over Attempted Bombing At Mayor Zohran Mamdani's Residence
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Two men charged with attempting to attack Gracie Mansion with improvised explosive devices Prosecutors say the suspects were inspired by or loyal to ISIS
Incident and devices
Two young men were arrested after homemade explosive devices were thrown near Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City’s mayor Zohran Mamdani, during an anti‑Islam protest and a concurrent counter‑demonstration; the devices failed to detonate and a second device was recovered. Federal prosecutors charged the suspects with attempting to support the Islamic State and with using weapons of mass destruction, and police described the devices as glass jars filled with screws and bolts, wrapped in duct tape and outfitted with fuses and explosive charges. The NYPD Bomb Squad deployed a robot to inspect a vehicle believed to belong to the suspects and investigators say the probe is ongoing.
“Federal prosecutors on Monday charged two young men with attempting to support the Islamic State (IS) after a homemade bomb was thrown on Saturday, failing to explode, near Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City’s mayor, Muslim Zohran Mamdani.”
Suspects and statements
Authorities say the suspects expressed support for the Islamic State and referenced the group to investigators; one reportedly yelled that “ISIS” made him carry out the attempted attack and both allegedly swore allegiance to the organization. Reporting identifies the two suspects as 19‑year‑olds Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi from Pennsylvania, who were brought before a judge on charges including attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction. Prosecutors say one suspect told authorities he hoped to cause a massacre larger than the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and court accounts note the defendants largely remained silent at arraignment and at times smirked as charges were read.
Official reactions
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch labeled the episode as inspired by the Islamic State and said investigators were treating it as such while also asserting it did not appear linked to the current US‑Israeli tensions with Iran. US Attorney General Pam Bondi took to social media to vow that law enforcement “will not allow ISIS's poisonous, anti‑American ideology to threaten this nation.” Mayor Zohran Mamdani stood alongside Tisch at a briefing, called the alleged plot an "atrocious act of terrorism" and pledged that "We will keep New Yorkers safe."
“‘This is an act inspired by the Islamic State,’ said Jessicca Tisch, commissioner of the Police Department (NYPD), at a press conference.”
Protest context and inquiry
The incident unfolded at a politically charged demonstration organized by conservative activist Jake Lang, who drew a small anti‑Islam crowd while a larger group of counter‑demonstrators gathered; reporting notes Lang attempted to disrupt the mayor's remarks and that the scene included provocative imagery. Observers and local reporting said the defendants arrived by car shortly before the protest, and authorities have emphasized that alleged support for IS in statements does not necessarily mean personal contact with or formal recruitment by the group. Police and federal prosecutors continue their probe, with a planned press conference by law enforcement to provide further details.