NEW YORK, NY — Two Pennsylvania teenagers face federal terrorism charges after allegedly throwing homemade explosives during protests outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence Saturday, with investigators saying the attack was inspired by ISIS and intended to surpass the deadly 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, admitted to federal investigators that their actions were motivated by the Islamic State terrorist organization, according to court documents unsealed Monday. The suspects face five federal charges each, including attempted provision of material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and use of a weapon of mass destruction. Neither explosive device detonated during the incident outside Gracie Mansion, but preliminary testing confirmed they contained volatile materials capable of causing mass casualties. “These were ISIS-inspired actions, and it is chilling that they wanted to do something more than the Boston Marathon, more than three deaths,” said Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, during a Monday news conference.
The attack unfolded Saturday afternoon as opposing groups clashed outside Gracie Mansion during dueling protests. An anti-Islam demonstration organized by far-right influencer Jake Lang drew approximately 20 participants, while a counter-protest called “Drive the Nazis Out of New York” attracted more than 125 demonstrators at its peak. Balat and Kayumi crossed the George Washington Bridge into Manhattan at 11:36 a.m., parked on East End Avenue at 12:05 p.m., and threw the explosive devices around 12:35 p.m., according to New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Video footage shows Balat throwing the first ignited device toward the protest area, where it struck a barrier in a crosswalk and extinguished itself just feet from police officers. Balat then retrieved a second device from Kayumi, lit it, and began running before dropping it on the street, where it emitted smoke but failed to explode.
Both suspects made incriminating statements immediately after their arrest, waiving their constitutional rights to remain silent, court documents show. When asked by a person in the crowd why he committed the act, Kayumi responded “ISIS,” according to body-worn camera footage cited in the criminal complaint. Kayumi later told investigators he had watched ISIS propaganda videos on his phone and was partly inspired by the terrorist group to carry out the attack. Balat made spontaneous statements while being transported to a police precinct, saying “This isn’t a religion that just stands when people talk about the blessed name of the Prophet. We take action. If I didn’t do it, someone else will come and do it.” When investigators asked Balat if he was familiar with the Boston Marathon bombing and whether that was his goal, he responded “No, even bigger. It was only three deaths.” Balat also requested pen and paper while in custody and wrote a pledge of allegiance to ISIS, calling for the death of non-believers.
The improvised explosive devices were smaller than footballs and consisted of glass jars wrapped in black tape, filled with explosive materials and surrounded by nuts, bolts, and screws for fragmentation, with hobby fuses attached, investigators said. Preliminary testing determined one device contained triacetone triperoxide, known as TATP, a highly volatile homemade explosive used in terrorist attacks worldwide. NYPD bomb technicians conducted controlled detonations of both devices, which resulted in “significant explosions” that confirmed their lethal potential. A third suspicious device was discovered Sunday in a vehicle linked to the suspects on East End Avenue, approximately three blocks from Gracie Mansion, prompting limited evacuations of nearby buildings. That device tested negative for explosive materials but contained handwritten notes referencing TATP and listing chemical ingredients for explosive devices. Federal investigators executed search warrants at both suspects’ homes in Pennsylvania and are examining a storage unit related to the investigation.
Balat is a U.S. citizen and high school senior living with his parents in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, while Kayumi resides in Newtown, also in Bucks County. Balat’s parents were born in Turkey and naturalized as U.S. citizens in 2017, while Kayumi’s parents are originally from Afghanistan and became naturalized citizens in 2004 and 2009. Investigators are examining the suspects’ overseas travel history, including Balat’s extended trip to Istanbul from May to August 2025 and his return from Turkey in January 2026. Kayumi traveled to Istanbul in July and August 2024 and to Saudi Arabia in March of that year. The suspects had no prior criminal history and no apparent relationship before Saturday’s incident, according to defense attorneys. “They’re regular Americans, compliant with law enforcement. There’s been no obstruction, no issues,” said Mehdi Essmidi, Balat’s attorney, adding that the family was surprised by the events and has cooperated fully with federal investigators.
Mayor Mamdani, New York’s first Muslim mayor, was not at Gracie Mansion with his wife, Rama Duwaji, during the incident, which occurred during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. “The police department has determined that these were improvised explosive devices made to injure, maim or worse,” Mamdani said at Monday’s news conference. “Anyone who comes to New York City to bring violence to our streets will be held accountable in accordance with the law.” Police Commissioner Tisch praised the bravery of NYPD Assistant Chief Aaron Edwards and Sergeant Luis Navarro, who “ran towards the danger so that others could run to safety” when the devices were thrown. Four additional arrests were made during Saturday’s protests, including Ian McGuiness, 21, who allegedly used pepper spray on counter-protesters, and three others charged with disorderly conduct and obstruction. This marked the first time in nearly a decade that improvised explosive devices targeted residents in New York City, Tisch noted, with the last incident occurring in 2017 at the Port Authority bus terminal.
Both suspects appeared in federal court Monday afternoon wearing prison jumpsuits and were ordered held without bail until their next court appearance on April 8. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has assumed lead responsibility for the investigation, with Attorney General Pam Bondi calling the defendants “ISIS-inspired terrorists” and vowing that law enforcement “will not allow ISIS’s poisonous, anti-American ideology to threaten this nation.” Law enforcement officials noted the attack occurred during a heightened threat environment due to the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, though they emphasized this incident appeared connected to ISIS recruitment efforts rather than the Middle East war. Intelligence sources told investigators that ISIS, al-Qaeda, and pro-Iranian groups have intensified online recruiting since the conflict began, particularly targeting impressionable young men during Ramadan. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the deployment of more than 1,000 National Guard members to protect critical transit sites across the city as authorities maintain elevated security postures.
The investigation continues as federal authorities pursue all leads related to the suspects’ radicalization and potential connections to other extremist networks. Both men face maximum sentences of life in prison if convicted on the terrorism charges, with their case representing the first ISIS-inspired attack attempt in New York City since 2017.
