Police Charge Balat, Kayumi With Aiding ISIS in Attempted Bombing Outside Mayor Mamdani's Home

An attempted bomb attack took place on Saturday outside Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence during protests and is being investigated by the NYPD and the FBI as an "act of ISIS-inspired terrorism," officials said.

“Based on facts observed and verified directly by our reporters or by informed sources”

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Metropolitan Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and other authorities said improvised explosive devices were thrown during confrontations on the street; two suspects are now in custody.

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Tisch identified the suspects as Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, both from Pennsylvania, and law enforcement described the devices as capable of causing serious injury or death.

The explosives were thrown amid an anti-Muslim protest called by far-right activist Jake Lang and a larger counter-protest.

Reporters and officials described a clash in which the initially small right-wing rally of about 20 people faced roughly 125 counter-protesters under the slogan "Expel the Nazis from New York," and tensions escalated until devices were thrown into the roadway and people and police fled the area.

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Authorities say both suspects admitted being inspired by ISIS in interviews and in court documents, and federal prosecutors unsealed a five-count indictment alleging the men provided material support to a designated terrorist organization and used a weapon of mass destruction.

“Based on facts observed and verified directly by our reporters or by informed sources”

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Investigators reported statements from the defendants that include Balat allegedly writing he had "pledged allegiance to the Islamic state" and Kayumi telling police he watched ISIS material and considered himself "affiliated" with ISIS; officials have not said whether the pair were directly recruited or self-radicalized.

Officials described the devices in technical detail: at least one device contained explosive material and shrapnel and was intended to cause serious injury or death, and investigators said at least one device was made with triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a volatile compound often used in IEDs.

Law enforcement also located a third device that did not contain explosive material and authorities disposed of it after identifying it in a nearby vehicle.

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Federal prosecutors have charged Balat and Kayumi with providing material support to ISIS and with using a weapon of mass destruction, and U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and other officials framed the case as an example of "ISIS-inspired actions" that will be met with swift justice.

“Based on facts observed and verified directly by our reporters or by informed sources”

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Law enforcement officials emphasized concerns about younger individuals radicalizing and mobilizing to violence as they described the investigation and praised interagency cooperation in preventing greater harm.

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