New York, 10 March (H.S.): Two young men from Pennsylvania face federal terrorism charges after allegedly hurling homemade bombs at an anti-Islam protest outside the residence of New York City's mayor, Zohran Mamdani, in a brazen act that evoked memories of past jihadist attacks.
Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, stand accused of transporting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to Manhattan on Saturday, where they ignited and tossed the weapons amid a tense rally against Mamdani, the city's first Muslim mayor.
Court documents detail Balat lighting a small IED captured on video and flinging it toward the far-right demonstrators, before activating a second device passed by Kayumi – both intercepted by police before causing injury. The jars, reinforced with duct tape and packed with screws, bolts, and the volatile explosive TATP, marked the first such deployment in New York in nearly a decade.
In post-arrest confessions, the suspects cited inspiration from the Islamic State (ISIS), with Balat reportedly vowing to police an assault even bigger than the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that claimed three lives. Kayumi admitted viewing ISIS propaganda on his phone, while Balat scrawled a pledge of allegiance on paper during interrogation.
Each now confronts five federal counts, including deploying a weapon of mass destruction, material support for a foreign terrorist group, and explosives violations, as filed in Manhattan's U.S. District Court.
The incident unfolded outside Gracie Mansion during a Stop the Muslim Takeover gathering organized by far-right figure Jake Lang, drawing a modest crowd of activists and over 100 counter-protesters – mostly peaceful, though chanting to expel Nazis from the city.
Mamdani and his wife were absent, forewarned of the event; speaking later with police, he denounced all violence while upholding protest rights, deeming the anti-Muslim rally vile yet constitutionally protected. A third individual, Ian McGinnis, faces state assault charges for deploying pepper spray against counter-protesters.
Authorities emphasize no direct ties to the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, amid heightened vigilance since those strikes began. The probe underscores persistent domestic extremism risks, echoing the 2017 Times Square bombing by an ISIS adherent who harmed only himself.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
