Two men from Pennsylvania have been federally charged after allegedly throwing homemade explosive devices outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence. Authorities say the attack was inspired by ISIS.
Emir Balat, 18, of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, were arrested on Saturday, March 7. Both men declared allegiance to ISIS after being taken into custody.
“This was not random violence,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “This was a planned attack motivated by extremist ideology and inspired by a violent foreign terrorist organization.”
Both men face charges of using a weapon of mass destruction, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. They also face charges of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, carrying up to 20 years.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton confirmed the terrorism angle at a press conference Monday.
“These were ISIS-inspired actions,” Clayton said. “Violence is not protected speech, and it’s not protected protest. In New York, violence — particularly acts of terror — will be met with swift justice.”
What Happened Outside Gracie Mansion
The incident took place outside Gracie Mansion on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Mayor Mamdani and his wife were not home at the time.
A group of roughly 20 protesters had gathered outside the residence. The protest was organized by pardoned January 6 rioter Jake Lang and called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City.” More than 100 counter-protesters also showed up.
Tensions rose after a protester from Lang’s group used pepper spray on counter-protesters. Balat then allegedly lit a device and threw it toward the crowd. It struck a barrier in a crosswalk and extinguished itself just feet from police officers. Balat fled, retrieved a second device from Kayumi, lit it, and started running before officers caught him.
Deadly Devices
Preliminary testing confirmed the devices were fully capable of causing serious injury or death.
One device contained TATP, triacetone triperoxide, a volatile homemade explosive used in terrorist attacks around the world.
The devices were built from sports drink bottles packed with explosive material inside glass jars, surrounded by nuts, bolts, and screws. A fuse connected to an M80-style firework was used to ignite them.
A third device was found inside a vehicle linked to the suspects on East End Avenue. Nearby buildings were briefly evacuated before the device was safely removed.
Suspects Openly Declared Allegiance to ISIS
After his arrest, Balat allegedly told officers: “I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State.” When asked whether he hoped to replicate the Boston Marathon bombing, he responded: “No, even bigger. It was only three deaths.”
Kayumi told a bystander his motivation was “ISIS,” according to the criminal complaint. Investigators say he had been watching ISIS propaganda on his phone.
Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the men “pledged allegiance to a foreign terrorist organization” and “sought to inflict mass casualties in service to ISIS.”
Overseas Travel Under Investigation
Investigators are looking into both men’s overseas travel. Balat traveled to Istanbul from May to August 2025, then returned to the U.S. from Turkey in January 2026. Kayumi traveled to Istanbul in the summer of 2024 and to Saudi Arabia in March of that year.
The FBI is reviewing whether the two suspects self-radicalized. Agents executed search warrants at their homes in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and at a related address in New Jersey. A storage unit in Pennsylvania was also searched.
Balat’s parents are originally from Turkey and became U.S. citizens in 2017. Kayumi’s parents are originally from Afghanistan and were naturalized in 2004 and 2009.
Broader Terror Threat
Law enforcement sources say ISIS, al-Qaeda, and pro-Iranian groups have intensified online recruiting and calls for violence since U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran began last week. Intelligence officials noted the attack occurred during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Tisch noted that the last time an IED targeting people was used in New York City was in 2017, when Akayed Ullah detonated a device in the pedestrian underpass near Times Square.
Officers Ran Toward the Bomb
NYPD Assistant Chief Aaron Edwards and Sgt. Luis Navarro were praised for running toward one of the lit devices to protect bystanders. Edwards is a 23-year department veteran. Tisch said both men acted on instinct and training.
Mayor Mamdani’s Response
Mayor Mamdani, New York City’s first Muslim mayor, addressed reporters outside Gracie Mansion on Sunday.
“Anyone who comes to New York City to bring violence to our streets will be held accountable in accordance with the law,” he said.
While calling the anti-Islam protest “appalling,” he also defended the protesters’ right to demonstrate. “Ours is a free society where the right to peaceful protest is sacred,” he said. “It belongs to everyone.”
Six people in total have been arrested in connection with the March 7 incident, including the protester who used the pepper spray and three others on disorderly conduct charges.