Balat and Kayumi were officially indicted on five federal counts in connection to the incident including charges of use of a weapon of mass destruction, transportation of explosive materials, and unlawful possession of destructive devices among others. The pair appeared in federal court Monday afternoon for their arraignments.
In the criminal complaint, investigators said both suspects made references to ISIS in their post-arrest statements with Kayumi telling officers that he had watched ISIS propaganda on his phone and had been partially inspired by the group to perpetuate his actions Saturday. Balat was asked if he was attempting something similar to the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 and he reportedly responded, “No, even bigger. It was only three deaths.”
“These statements, as set forth in the complaint, make clear that this was not random violence. This was a planned attack motivated by extremist ideology and inspired by a violent, foreign terrorist organization,” Tisch said at a press conference at One Police Plaza announcing the filed charges.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the charges in a statement, writing, “Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi have been charged with committing a heinous act of terrorism and proclaiming their allegiance to ISIS. They should be held fully accountable for their actions. We will continue to keep New Yorkers safe. We will not tolerate terrorism or violence in our city.”
NBC10 reports that Balat is a student at the Neshaminy School District in Bucks County, a collar county just outside Philadelphia. Officials with Council Rock School District confirmed that Kayumi graduated from the district in 2024. Jason Bowman, the Neshaminy School District’s superintendent, issued a letter to parents, assuring them that there is “no information indicating any concerns related to our schools.”
Federal investigators conducted searches on a pair of Pennsylvania homes Sunday in connection with the incident. On its social-media page, the Middletown Township Police Department advised the public of an increased law-enforcement presence, writing that the FBI “is conducting a court-authorized search warrant as part of a federal investigation related to an incident that occurred yesterday in New York City.”
The Newtown Township Police Department similarly told residents that it was assisting the FBI with an investigation in the township.