{"id":157754,"date":"2026-03-09T11:33:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T11:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/157754\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T11:33:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T11:33:10","slug":"teen-of-turkish-origin-arrested-after-bomb-thrown-near-nyc-mayors-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/157754\/","title":{"rendered":"Teen of Turkish origin arrested after bomb thrown near NYC mayor\u2019s home"},"content":{"rendered":"

Federal and city authorities in the United States have launched a joint investigation after a homemade explosive device was thrown during clashes between protesters outside New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s official residence.<\/p>\n

The incident took place on Saturday near Gracie Mansion in Manhattan during a confrontation between far-right demonstrators and counterprotesters.<\/p>\n

Police arrested two teenagers at the scene, while federal investigators joined the case amid concerns that the device could have caused serious harm.<\/p>\n

New York Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said a preliminary analysis by the NYPD bomb squad determined the object was not a hoax or a smoke bomb.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis device was a genuine improvised explosive that could have caused serious injury or death,\u201d Tisch said.<\/p>\n

The FBI confirmed Sunday that its Joint Terrorism Task Force is assisting the New York Police Department and the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Southern District of New York with the investigation.<\/p>\n

\"Far-right
\n<\/p>\n

\nFar-right influencer Jake Lang holds a goat on a leash during a protest organized by him to ask for a “stop of public Muslim prayer” in New York, United States, March 7, 2026. (AFP Photo)\n<\/p>\n

Protest outside Gracie Mansion turns violent<\/p>\n

Authorities said tensions escalated shortly before noon during rival demonstrations outside the mayor\u2019s residence.<\/p>\n

According to police, the anti-Islam protest had been organized by far-right activist Jake Lang. Around 20 people attended the rally, while more than 100 counterprotesters gathered nearby, officials said.<\/p>\n

The two groups were separated into designated areas, but confrontations developed as the protest progressed.<\/p>\n

Police said one protester associated with Lang\u2019s group used pepper spray against counterprotesters shortly before noon. About 20 minutes later, an 18-year-old counterprotester allegedly threw an ignited device toward the protest area.<\/p>\n

Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke as the object traveled through the air before it struck a barrier and extinguished itself a few feet from police officers.<\/p>\n

Officials said the device did not detonate, and no injuries were reported.<\/p>\n

\"A
\n<\/p>\n

\nA NYPD bomb squad officer checks the inside of a car on the Upper East Side of Manhattan after a homemade explosive device that failed to detonate, in New York, United States, March 8, 2026. (AFP Photo)\n<\/p>\n

How are suspects connected to T\u00fcrkiye?<\/p>\n

Police identified the two suspects as Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, both from Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

According to U.S. media reports, Balat is of Turkish origin. His parents were born in T\u00fcrkiye and later became naturalized U.S. citizens in 2017.<\/p>\n

Kayumi\u2019s parents are reportedly originally from Afghanistan and became naturalized U.S. citizens in 2004 and 2009, according to reporting by CBS News<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Investigators are also reviewing the overseas travel history of both suspects. Balat spent several months in Istanbul between May and August 2025 and returned to the United States from T\u00fcrkiye earlier this year. Kayumi reportedly traveled to Istanbul for several weeks in July and August 2024 and also visited Saudi Arabia earlier that year.<\/p>\n

Law enforcement sources told CNN<\/a> that the two men told authorities they had been inspired by Daesh, although officials have not publicly confirmed whether terrorism charges will be pursued.<\/p>\n

Authorities have not announced formal charges against the pair as of Sunday.<\/p>\n

Four additional people were also detained during the unrest, including a protester accused of using pepper spray.<\/p>\n

\"An
\n<\/p>\n

\nAn NYPD officer wearing an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) suit investigates a block of the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York, United States, March 8, 2026. (AFP Photo)\n<\/p>\n

Bomb squad analysis raises concerns<\/p>\n

Investigators said the explosive device appeared to be a jar wrapped in black tape and filled with nuts, bolts, and screws. The container also contained a hobby fuse that could be lit.<\/p>\n

According to police, the device was slightly smaller than a football and capable of causing serious damage if it had detonated.<\/p>\n

Authorities said the suspect retrieved a second device after throwing the first one and began running before dropping it on the street. The second device also emitted smoke but did not explode.<\/p>\n

Law enforcement officials told CNN that preliminary inspection suggested the explosive may have contained TATP, a highly unstable compound often associated with improvised explosives.<\/p>\n

\"NYPD
\n<\/p>\n

\nNYPD bomb squad officers are set up in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, in New York, United States, March 8, 2026. (AFP Photo)\n<\/p>\n

FBI joins investigation<\/p>\n

The investigation widened on Sunday after police identified a suspicious device in a vehicle a few blocks south of Gracie Mansion.<\/p>\n

Authorities evacuated nearby buildings while the NYPD bomb squad secured the area and removed the device for further testing. Streets in the neighborhood reopened later that evening.<\/p>\n

The FBI said the two suspects remain in custody while federal and city investigators continue to examine the devices and the circumstances surrounding the protest.<\/p>\n

\"Democrat
\n<\/p>\n

\nDemocrat Mayor Zohran Mamdani becomes the first Muslim mayor of New York City, with the inauguration ceremony at City Hall, Manhattan, New York City, United States on Jan. 1, 2026. (AA Photo)\n<\/p>\n

Mayor Mamdani condemns violence<\/p>\n

Mamdani, New York City\u2019s first Muslim mayor, condemned both the anti-Islam demonstration and the violence that followed.<\/p>\n

\u201cViolence at a protest is never acceptable,\u201d Mamdani said in a statement. \u201cThe attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal – it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n

The mayor added that his administration is monitoring the situation as investigators determine the motive behind the incident.<\/p>\n

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also addressed the attack, thanking first responders and warning that those responsible would face consequences.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no place for violence of any kind in our state,\u201d Hochul said. \u201cThose responsible for this cowardly act will be held accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March 09, 2026 02:14 PM GMT+03:00<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Federal and city authorities in the United States have launched a joint investigation after a homemade explosive device…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":157755,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[9,56,63,65,64],"class_list":{"0":"post-157754","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-city","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-ny","10":"tag-nyc","11":"tag-nyc-headlines","12":"tag-nyc-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157754","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=157754"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157754\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/157755"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=157754"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=157754"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=157754"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}