Two Pennsylvania men have been federally charged with attempting to detonate improvised explosive devices outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's residence. The men declared allegiance to ISIS following their arrests, prosecutors announced Monday.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) said earlier Monday that the devices were deployed in the direction of anti-Islamic protesters and NYPD officers.
Emir Balat, 18, of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, face charges including use of a weapon of mass destruction, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, and attempted provision of material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.
After his arrest, Balat allegedly told officers, "I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State," and when asked whether he had hoped to replicate the Boston Marathon bombing, responded: "No, even bigger. It was only three deaths."
Kayumi, when asked by a bystander about his motivation, responded "ISIS," according to the complaint. -- 📺 Watch NTD News 24/7 on cable, broadcast, and streaming: https://www.ntd.com/watch
New York City Mayor Zohra Mamdani and his police commissioner Jessica Tish today said they are
treating a Saturday incident involving explosive devices as an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism.
NTD's Arlene Richards has more. New York City will never tolerate violence.
An attack outside the New York City mayor's residence is being treated as an act of
I can confirm this morning that this is being investigated as an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism.
The alleged act of terrorism happened Saturday during an anti-Islam protest.
There is video of these two individuals throwing two devices towards the protest.
The police department has determined that these were improvised explosive devices
made to injure, maim or worse.
Amir Balat and Ibrahim Qayyumi, the two suspects in custody,
allegedly traveled from Pennsylvania to the protest in New York.
The devices that were tossed into the crowd were packed with nuts, bolts and screws
and contained a chemical substance inside a taped canister fitted with a fuse.
Preliminary test results determined that these were not hoax devices nor smoke bombs.
The FBI has joined the New York Police Department in testing the devices
as well as in conducting a terrorism investigation.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tish said the suspects will be prosecuted in federal court in Manhattan.
The complaint will set forth criminal charges and the factual allegations supporting those charges.
In a second press conference on Monday afternoon,
Tish released more information on federal charges against the suspects.
The defendants are charged with attempting to provide materials support to ISIS,
using a weapon of mass destruction, transporting explosive materials,
interstate transportation and receipt of explosive materials
and unlawful possession of destructive devices.
Balat and Qayyumi are both under age 21.
They have no prior criminal records.
On their first appearance in federal court Monday,
their attorneys requested protective custody for their clients.
Tish said they each admitted they were inspired by ISIS.
As Qayyumi was being placed into an NYPD vehicle following his arrest,
a person in the crowd asked why he had done this.
As shown on NYPD body worn camera footage referenced in the complaint,
Qayyumi responded with ISIS.
She said Balat also made unsolicited statements that were captured on body cam footage.
She said this isn't a religion that just stands
when people talk about the blessed name of the prophet.
We take action. We take action.
She said he also told investigators that he hoped to carry out an attack
even bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing, which occurred 13 years ago.
That bombing killed three individuals.
NYPD officers put their own lives at risk on Saturday to stop one bomb from detonating.
They later found two more.
The police commissioner, a U.S. attorney, and an assistant FBI director
all praised the officers for their heroic actions and for keeping New Yorkers safe.
Tish said these agencies are working together with NYPD in an ongoing investigation.
Arlene Richards, NTD News.
