Two young men inspired by ISIS threw homemade bombs near New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence Saturday, triggering an FBI terrorism investigation and raising alarms about the vulnerability of the nation’s largest city to lone-wolf attacks.
The devices — glass bottles packed with explosives and shrapnel — “could have caused serious injury or death,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Monday. “We were fortunate that the devices used this weekend did not cause the kind of harm that they were certainly capable of causing. But luck is never a strategy. Devices like these have the potential to cause devastating harm.”
The suspects, 18-year-old Emir Balat and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi, both from Pennsylvania, were arrested at the scene. They told investigators they were inspired by the Islamic State group, officials said.
What Happened
The incident unfolded Saturday as two groups clashed outside Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s official residence on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. One group was an anti-Islam protest organized by Jake Lang, a far-right influencer and a January 6 rioter. They were vastly outnumbered by a larger group of counter-protesters.
Video from the scene, confirmed by CBS News, shows Balat throwing a first “ignited device,” which extinguished itself after striking a barrier. He then retrieved a second device from Kayumi, lit it, and started running before dropping it, Tisch said. Both devices were thrown, Mayor Mamdani confirmed Monday.
Police also arrested Ian McGuiness, 21, for allegedly using pepper spray on counter-protesters. He and three others were charged with disorderly conduct and obstruction.
The Devices
Analysis determined one device contained triacetone triperoxide (TATP) — “a dangerous and highly volatile homemade explosive” frequently used by ISIS in terrorist attacks. The devices were reportedly made from glass bottles filled with explosive material and surrounded by fragmentation (nuts and bolts) with firework-type fuses.
Police found a car in the Upper East Side tied to the two suspects. A robot deployed by the NYPD discovered “another possible suspicious device and materials inside the car consistent with the first two explosive devices,” Tisch said.
“The FBI and NYPD confirmed the suspicious items to be improvised explosive devices (IEDs),” the FBI posted on X. “Additionally, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) will be conducting interviews, reviewing videos, collecting evidence, and chasing down all leads.”
The Investigation
Tisch praised two officers who stepped forward “without hesitation and without regard for their own safety” after the devices were lit. She emphasized the NYPD remains vigilant in its counter-terrorism efforts.
The FBI has formally launched a terrorism investigation, with its Joint Terrorism Task Force taking the lead. Officials are investigating potential connections, additional suspects, and whether the attack was directed or merely inspired.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday she has directed state law enforcement to assist, and additional National Guard troops will be deployed to “high-profile locations in New York City to support security” in the days ahead.
The Mayor’s Response
Mamdani, New York City’s first Muslim mayor, called the anti-Islam protest “rooted in bigotry and racism” but said what followed was “even more disturbing.”
“Violence at a protest is never acceptable,” Mamdani said Sunday. “The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are.”
Mamdani thanked law enforcement for their rapid response and urged New Yorkers to remain vigilant.
What Comes Next
The two suspects are in custody. The investigation continues. And New York City — no stranger to terrorism — is once again confronting the reality that an attack can come from anywhere, inspired by an ideology half a world away.
“Luck is never a strategy,” Tisch said. For a city that has learned that lesson many times before, the question now is what comes next.
