Two men charged with terror offences over IED attack outside NYC mayor's home
Two men allegedly inspired by Islamic State attempted to bomb a protest outside New York City's Gracie Mansion. None of the three devices detonated as intended.
IS-inspired bomb plot foiled outside Gracie Mansion in New York City
Two men have been charged with terror offences after allegedly attempting to detonate explosives outside the New York City mayor's residence, bbc.com reports. Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, are accused of placing the devices outside Gracie Mansion during a protest on Saturday, in an attack authorities say was inspired by the Islamic State group.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said both suspects had admitted to being inspired by IS and had watched IS propaganda videos prior to the attack. Neither had any previous criminal history, she added.
None of the three explosive devices detonated as intended. Footage from the scene showed one of the suspects being detained seconds after igniting an explosive that failed to go off. A third device was later found in a car linked to the pair in the city's Upper East Side; the NYPD deployed a robot to retrieve it.
"We were fortunate that the devices used this weekend did not cause the kind of harm that they were certainly capable of causing," Tisch said at a news conference on Monday. "But luck is never a strategy. Devices like these have the potential to cause devastating harm."
Tisch said Balat made several statements about IS while being transported to the police station, including: "If I didn't do it, someone else will come and do it." He allegedly also expressed hope that the attack would be "even bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing, which he noted resulted in only three deaths." That 2013 attack killed three people and injured hundreds, many of whom lost limbs.
According to court documents obtained by the BBC, Balat waived his right to remain silent after his arrest and requested a piece of paper, on which he wrote a pledge of allegiance to IS and called for the death of nonbelievers. Kayumi similarly stated he was affiliated with IS and had watched IS propaganda on his phone in the lead-up to the attack.
An analysis of one of the devices showed it was constructed from triacetone triperoxide, described by Tisch as "a dangerous and highly volatile homemade explosive" that has been used in other terror attacks. The devices were reportedly made from glass bottles filled with explosive material and surrounded by nuts and bolts, with a firework-type fuse attached.
Video from the scene, confirmed by the BBC's media partner CBS News, showed Balat throwing the first ignited device, which extinguished itself after striking a barrier. He then retrieved a second device from Kayumi, lit it, and began running before dropping it. Mayor Zohran Mamdani later confirmed on Monday that both devices had been thrown.
"The FBI and NYPD confirmed the suspicious items to be improvised explosive devices," the FBI wrote on X. The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force said it would be conducting interviews, reviewing video footage, collecting evidence and pursuing all leads.
Both suspects appeared in federal court on Monday wearing prison jumpsuits. A federal magistrate judge ordered them detained until their next court appearance on 8 April. Following the hearing, Balat's lawyer described his client as a high school senior and US citizen with no prior arrests who has "complicated stuff going on" in his personal life, according to the New York Times and Associated Press.
The charges against them include attempting to provide material support to IS and using a weapon of mass destruction.
Mamdani said in a statement that the two men "should be held fully accountable for their actions." He added: "We will continue to keep New Yorkers safe. We will not tolerate terrorism or violence in our city."
The protest outside Gracie Mansion had been organised by Jake Lang, a far-right influencer and pardoned 6 January rioter, Tisch said. It was outnumbered by a counter-protest of more than 100 participants. As the two groups clashed, the alleged attack took place.
Tisch praised two officers who intervened after the devices were lit, saying they stepped forward "without hesitation and without regard for their own safety." She also noted a heightened state of counter-terrorism alert across New York City and the United States.
A fourth person, Ian McGuiness, 21, was separately arrested for allegedly using pepper spray on counter-protesters. He and three others were charged with disorderly conduct and obstruction.
Source: Google News GY — Crime