Listen to the article
Two men who brought explosives to a far-right protest outside New York City’s mayoral mansion have told authorities they were inspired by the Islamic State extremist group, according to court documents filed Monday.
Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, appeared in court on charges including attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction. Both men are being held without bail following the weekend incident that has shocked the city and raised concerns about domestic terrorism.
The explosive devices, which fortunately did not detonate, were thrown during counterprotests against an anti-Islam demonstration led by far-right activist Jake Lang. The protest targeted New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor.
“Balat and Kayumi sought to incite fear and mass suffering through this alleged attempted terror attack in the backyard of an elected city official,” said James Barnacle, who heads the FBI’s New York office, during a press conference following the court appearance.
According to the criminal complaint, Kayumi declared that “ISIS” was his motivation when arrested on Saturday. Balat later admitted to authorities that he had pledged allegiance to the extremist group, while Kayumi claimed affiliation with ISIS.
When questioned about whether he aimed to replicate the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and wounded hundreds, Balat allegedly responded, “No, even bigger,” according to court documents.
During the brief court session, Kayumi reportedly smirked and glanced at Balat as the judge read portions of the complaint detailing their alleged support for the Islamic State. Balat remained expressionless, staring ahead at the defense table.
Mehdi Essmidi, Balat’s attorney, described his client as a Philadelphia-area high school senior with “complicated stuff going on” in his personal life. When asked if he believed Balat was a terrorist, Essmidi responded: “I believe he’s 18 and he doesn’t have any idea what he’s doing.”
Michael Arthus, representing Kayumi, urged prosecutors in court to avoid statements that could prejudice potential jurors, citing the extensive media coverage of the case.
Law enforcement officials said the FBI has conducted multiple searches in connection with the investigation, including at a Pennsylvania storage unit. Officials confirmed that Balat is currently a senior at Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, though he has been enrolled in the district’s virtual program since September rather than attending in-person classes.
Neither defendant had prior criminal records, according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Essmidi suggested the two young men had likely met only recently.
“They are not known to each other. They do not live together. They did not have friendly, family or school ties,” Essmidi told reporters. “There is no reason to believe they knew each other prior to this incident, and I don’t know how well they knew each other at the time of this incident.”
Court documents revealed that an automated license plate reader captured the defendants entering New York City from New Jersey less than an hour before the midday attack. Kayumi’s mother had filed a missing person report after last seeing him around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Authorities located the men’s vehicle—registered to one of Balat’s relatives—on Sunday, just blocks from where they were arrested. A search yielded a fuse, a metal can, and a list of chemical ingredients and components that could be used to construct explosives.
According to the complaint, Balat threw a jar-sized device containing the explosive TATP into the crowd during the protest. The object was wrapped in duct-taped nuts and bolts and had a fuse, though it extinguished itself near police officers. Balat then reportedly collected a second similar device from Kayumi before dropping it near police officers and attempting to flee. Officers quickly apprehended both suspects.
“Violence that is meant to chill free speech, violence that is meant to keep us from assembling peaceably, will be met with swift justice,” said Manhattan-based U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton during Monday’s press conference.
Commissioner Tisch emphasized there are no indications the attempted attack was connected to ongoing international conflicts.
The investigation continues as authorities work to determine the full scope of the plot and whether the suspects had connections to any broader networks.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
13 Comments
Wow, this is a disturbing development. Alleged ISIS inspiration behind an attempted explosives attack at a protest in NYC is very concerning. Glad the devices didn’t detonate and that the suspects were apprehended.
This is a very concerning development. Extremist groups like ISIS inspiring domestic terrorism plots is a growing threat that needs to be taken extremely seriously. I hope the authorities can get to the bottom of this and prevent any future incidents.
This is a shocking incident that raises questions about the current state of political discourse and the potential for violence. While everyone has a right to protest, bringing explosives crosses a clear line.
I agree. Peaceful protest is a fundamental right, but resorting to explosives is an unacceptable and dangerous escalation that cannot be tolerated.
This is deeply troubling news. Bringing explosives to a protest, allegedly inspired by ISIS, is an extremely dangerous escalation that threatens public safety. I hope the suspects are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
The alleged ISIS inspiration behind this attempted explosives attack is very alarming. Regardless of political views, using violence and explosives to target a public protest is unacceptable. I’m glad the authorities were able to stop this before it could cause harm.
Absolutely. Terrorism and extremism have no place in our democracy, regardless of the source. Peaceful protest is a fundamental right, but this crosses a clear line.
This is deeply concerning. Extremism and violence have no place in our society. I hope the authorities can get to the bottom of this and prevent any further incidents.
Agreed. Targeting political figures and using explosives is a chilling escalation that needs to be taken extremely seriously.
I’m glad the authorities were able to stop this alleged terror plot before it could cause any harm. Extremism of any kind has no place in our society and needs to be rooted out. Hopefully this serves as a wake-up call.
Agreed. We must remain vigilant against the threat of domestic terrorism, whether from foreign-inspired or homegrown extremist groups.
So these individuals were allegedly inspired by ISIS to bring explosives to a protest in NYC? That’s a disturbing development and a threat to public safety. I hope they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Absolutely. Domestic terrorism linked to foreign extremist groups is a growing concern that requires a strong law enforcement response.