NEW YORK – Two men accused of igniting homemade bombs at a chaotic anti-Islam protest outside the New York City mayor’s mansion told police they were inspired by the Islamic State group, and were charged on Monday with federal terrorism-related crimes, according to court records.
Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, are accused of traveling from Pennsylvania with dangerous improvised explosive devices to Manhattan on Saturday, where a small group of far-right Christian activists had planned the anti-Muslim rally outside Gracie Mansion against Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s first Muslim mayor.
Balat was captured in photographs and video lighting a small IED and throwing it toward the anti-Muslim protesters before lighting a second device handed to him by Kayumi and dropping it, according to the criminal complaint. Police were able to intercept the smoking devices — duct-taped jars containing screws and bolts and the explosive substance TATP — and no one was hurt.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.