Pennsylvania Men Accused of ISIS-Inspired Bomb Plot in New York City

Two Pennsylvania teenagers, Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, are facing federal charges for allegedly planning an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack in New York City. The two, who were strangers before the alleged plot, are accused of throwing homemade explosives into a protest outside Mayor Zohran Mamdani's Gracie Mansion residence.

Background

Both from the Philadelphia suburbs, Balat, a high school senior, and Kayumi, a recent graduate, are believed to have traveled from Bucks County to Manhattan to carry out the attack. The plot was thwarted by two NYPD officers, Chief Aaron Edwards and Sgt. Luis Navarro, who have since been hailed as heroes.

Following the incident, authorities have continued to find suspicious devices near the mayor's residence. In one instance, a device was reported just days after the initial attack. Authorities closed off East End Avenue between East 85th and East 87th Streets, as well as East 86th Street between York Avenue and East End Avenue, in response.

The Attack and Arrest

The suspects are alleged to have thrown explosives into a Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City protest and counter-protest near the mayor's residence. An Agence France-Presse correspondent at the scene reported that Balat shouted Allahu Akbar during the incident. Balat was tackled to the ground by Edwards after allegedly hurling an improvised explosive device (IED) and was about to throw a second one handed to him by Kayumi. Navarro ran toward a second IED that was lit and smoking after allegedly being dropped on the ground by Balat.

The Investigation

The investigation has revealed that Balat allegedly purchased a fireworks fuse from a store in suburban Pennsylvania days before the attack. Surveillance footage shows Balat entering the store, speaking with a retail associate, and completing the purchase. The fuse was used in the IEDs thrown at the protest.

Preliminary testing indicates that at least one device contained triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a highly volatile explosive used in multiple terrorist attacks over the past decade. After his arrest, Balat allegedly told investigators that he and Kayumi wanted to stage an attack bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing.

Legal Implications

Federal prosecutors have taken over the case, and retired FBI supervisory agent James Gagliano has outlined that the suspects could potentially face the death penalty. The fact that these bombs did not detonate is fortunate, according to Gagliano, because the explosives used are inherently unstable. The ex-FBI agent also stated that prosecutors could try to turn the suspects against one another.

Current Status

Despite their attorneys' claims that the two teenagers didn't know each other prior to the attempted attack, the federal investigation continues. The device that was thrown near the protesters outside the mayor's residence was confirmed by the NYPD as a viable IED that could have caused serious injury or death. The investigation into a second device recovered at the scene is ongoing.