ISIS-Aligned Suspects Charged After Attempted Bombing Near Gracie Mansion Protest in New York City

Federal prosecutors have filed terrorism charges against two Pennsylvania men accused of attempting to detonate improvised explosive devices during a protest outside the official residence of the New York City mayor. The incident, which unfolded in broad daylight near Gracie Mansion on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, triggered a rapid law enforcement response that investigators say likely prevented mass casualties.

The Department of Justice announced charges against Emir Balat, 18, of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, alleging the two men attempted to carry out an ISIS-inspired attack during a public demonstration on March 7, 2026. Federal authorities allege the suspects constructed and attempted to deploy improvised explosive devices designed to inflict severe injuries and fatalities among people gathered at the protest site.

According to investigators, two separate demonstrations were underway outside Gracie Mansion that afternoon. One protest carried the title “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City, Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer,” while a counter-protest organized in response was held nearby under the banner “Run Nazis Out of New York City.” The protests drew a mix of demonstrators, counter-demonstrators, and police officers assigned to maintain order in the area.

Federal court filings allege that at approximately 12:15 p.m., Balat ignited a fuse attached to an explosive device and threw it toward the area where protesters were gathered. The device was later identified as an improvised explosive packed with metal fragments intended to act as shrapnel.

After throwing the first device, Balat reportedly moved down the block and received a second explosive device from Kayumi. Investigators allege the second device was also ignited and then dropped near a group of New York Police Department officers stationed at the protest.

The sequence of events triggered an immediate response from officers in the area. Balat reportedly attempted to flee by running from the scene and jumping over a barricade before being tackled and taken into custody by NYPD officers. Kayumi was arrested shortly afterward.

Law enforcement personnel secured both explosive devices and called in bomb technicians to examine the materials.

A preliminary forensic assessment conducted by an FBI bomb technician determined that the devices were roughly the size of mason jars and equipped with fuses. The containers were reportedly wrapped in duct tape and fitted with nuts and bolts attached to the exterior, a design frequently used to maximize shrapnel dispersal during an explosion.

Inside one of the devices, investigators detected triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a highly unstable explosive compound commonly associated with terrorist bomb construction. The substance is widely known among counterterrorism specialists as the “Mother of Satan” because of its volatility and sensitivity to heat, friction, or impact. TATP has been used in multiple terrorist attacks worldwide due to its destructive potential and the relative accessibility of its precursor chemicals.

Federal investigators later searched a vehicle connected to Balat that had been parked several blocks from the protest location. Inside the vehicle, agents recovered materials consistent with bomb-making preparations. These included a coil of hobby fuse, a metal container similar to the one used in the explosive device, and a notebook containing handwritten notes related to explosive construction.

Investigators reported that one notebook page contained the phrase “TATP explosive,” while other pages listed chemical components such as hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, and acetone, which can be used to synthesize TATP. Additional notes listed quantities of components including aluminum containers and bolts.

Statements allegedly made by the suspects following their arrests have become central to the case. According to investigators, Balat made comments during transport indicating ideological motivation and later wrote a pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State. The written statement reportedly included phrases commonly used in ISIS propaganda and messaging.

During questioning, investigators asked Balat whether he was familiar with the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, an attack that killed three people and injured hundreds. According to court filings, Balat allegedly responded that he intended to cause an even greater number of casualties.

Kayumi also reportedly acknowledged ideological alignment with ISIS during questioning, telling officers that he had watched ISIS propaganda and that the group partly inspired his actions.

Federal prosecutors have charged the two men with multiple terrorism-related offenses. The charges include attempted provision of material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, use of a weapon of mass destruction, transportation of explosive materials, interstate transportation and receipt of explosives, and unlawful possession of destructive devices.

If convicted on the most serious charge involving the use of a weapon of mass destruction, the defendants could face life imprisonment. Other counts carry potential penalties ranging from 10 to 20 years in federal prison.

The case is being investigated by the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, a multi-agency counterterrorism unit that includes personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York Police Department, and numerous federal and state agencies. Additional support in the investigation has come from Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the New York State Police, and federal field offices in Newark and Philadelphia.

Federal prosecutors handling the case are assigned to the National Security and International Narcotics Unit in the Southern District of New York, working in coordination with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.

Authorities emphasize that the criminal complaint currently filed represents allegations. Under the U.S. legal system, the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Images related to the explosive devices, arrest scene, and evidence recovered during the investigation will appear at the end of this article.

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