PENNDEL, Pa. – New surveillance video shows a Bucks County man accused of creating an ISIS-inspired plot outside of the New York City mayor’s home, shopping at a fireworks store days before.
Emir Balat, 18, is one of two men from the county charged in the alleged scheme and video shows him walking around Phantom Fireworks in Penndel.
The Phantom Fireworks executive says he did not speak to the employees who helped make the sale and says that the interaction did not seem like anything out of the ordinary.
Days later, investigators say Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, allegedly threw makeshift bombs during counterprotests against an anti-Islamic demonstration in New York City.
The company’s executive says Balat bought a 20-foot consumer firework safety fuse and says once they received word of the incident in New York City, they checked their store records to see if the suspects shopped at their location.
In the video, Balat can be seen walking into the store, making a hand gesture and showing an expression.
These are signs that the company executive believes are due to Balat not seeing any employees around to help sign him in.
According to Pennsylvania laws, an employee needs to scan a customer ID to prove they are older than 18 before purchasing fireworks-related products and officials say that generates the customers’ information.
Balat’s attorney says his client turned 18 years old two months ago.
After some time, the video shows Balat checking out and leaving the store.
Both suspects told police their actions were inspired by the Islamic State group, according to court paperwork.
This week, the FBI conducted raids at the suspects’ homes in lower Bucks County. Agents carried out controlled detonations from a storage facility in Middletown Township, also related to the investigation.