New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch on Monday said the suspects who planted and attempted to deploy two makeshift bombs at a protest in New York City have been charged with providing material support to ISIS and using a weapon of mass destruction.
Tisch read the charges against Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, during a news conference and said they had allegedly cited the Islamic terrorist group ISIS in their actions.
The complaint filed against the two said that while in custody, Balat wrote on a piece of paper that he pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Balat also allegedly wrote, “Die in your rage yu kuffar,” a phrase often used by ISIS, with “kuffar” being an Arabic term meaning nonbeliever.
Kayumi also allegedly claimed that he was affiliated with ISIS while in custody. Both suspects waived their Miranda rights.
Additionally, Balat was asked if his and his partner’s actions were intended to accomplish an act of terrorism bigger than the events of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
Balat said, “No, even bigger,” and claimed the Boston bombing “only” killed three people, the complaint said.
Authorities allege the pair brought homemade bombs to a protest Saturday outside Grace Mansion, the residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, where clashes had erupted between anti-Islam demonstrators and counterprotesters.
During the confrontation, Balat allegedly threw one improvised explosive device into the crowd and attempted to deploy a second device that Kayumi handed him. No injuries were reported as a result of the suspects’ actions.
Tisch said the devices were intended to cause serious injury or death because triacetone triperoxide, a substance frequently used in IED attacks, was found on one of them.
The homemade explosives appeared to be jars wrapped in black tape containing bolts, screws, and a hobby fuse, according to the NYPD bomb squad’s preliminary analysis. The contents of the IEDs are similar to those used by the terrorists at the Boston Marathon in 2013.
The two suspects had traveled from Pennsylvania to attend the anti-Islam protest with the intent to commit violence, Mamdani said on Monday.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MAKESHIFT BOMBS THROWN AT ANTI-ISLAM PROTESTERS IN NYC
Balat and Kayumi are the sons of Turkish and Afghan immigrants, respectively. Both of their parents later became naturalized U.S. citizens after moving to the country years ago.
The suspects were charged in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York. A desired sentence was not included in the complaint and was not specified by officials.
