Two teenagers from Bucks County are facing federal terrorism charges after they allegedly threw homemade explosives into a crowd of protestors in New York City.
The bombs did not detonate, but police said they could have caused serious harm or death.
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Two Bucks County teens charged with throwing explosive devices into crowded NYC protest
Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, of Newtown, and Emir Balat, 18, of Langhorne, were charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS, using a weapon of mass destruction, transporting explosives, interstate transportation of explosives and unlawful possession of explosive devices.
“Both defendants have admitted that they acted on Saturday because of ISIS,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
It was a moment that could have turned deadly after the two teenagers drove to Manhattan on Saturday morning and threw homemade bombs during counterprotests against an anti-Islam demonstration outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s home at Gracie Mansion.
“Had these IEDs functioned the way the perpetrators allegedly wanted them to, they could’ve caused death, destruction, extremely dangerous compound and extremely dangerous place deployed,” said Rebecca Weiner, NYPD Deputy Commissioner.
While being taken into custody, Kayumi shouted to a bystander that ISIS was the reason for his conduct. Balat later told investigators that he pledged his allegiance to the terrorist organization.
“There should be no confusion about what ISIS constitutes. It is a designated foreign terrorist organization,” Tisch stated. “One of the devices contained triacetone triperoxide or TATP, also commonly referred to as ‘Mother of Satan’ a highly volatile explosive that has been used in multiple terrorist attacks over the last decade.”
NYPD officers executed search warrants at Kayumi’s and Balat’s homes in Newtown and Middletown Township. A spokesperson for Neshaminy High School, in Langhorne, confirmed that Balat is in his senior year there. He has not attended in-person classes since enrolling in the district’s virtual program this past September.
Balat’s attorney, Mehdi Essimidi, addressed the media Monday.
“They are not known to each other. They do not live together. They did not have family or school ties. There is no reason to believe they knew each other prior to this incident, and I don’t know how well they knew each other at the time of this incident,” Essimidi said.
On Monday afternoon, FBI special agents were spotted at a self-storage facility in Middletown Township. Law enforcement said the investigation was linked to the terrorism probe.
Balat and Kayumi could face life in prison.