Two teenagers who pledged support for ISIS pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to terrorism and weapons charges tied to an alleged plot to carry out a bombing outside of Gracie Mansion in New York City.
Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, are accused of planting improvised explosive devices, sometimes referred to as the “Mother of Satan,” on a street near the mayor’s residence during an anti-Islam demonstration led by far-Right activist Jake Lang in March. Balat and Kayumi pleaded not guilty in a federal courtroom, appearing in handcuffs and wearing tan jumpsuits, Gothamist reported.
According to the indictment, investigators obtained dashcam footage from the vehicle that Balat and Kayumi drove from their suburban Pennsylvania home to New York City.
“Just can’t wait for that bomb to go off and his [i.e., Individual-1’s] freaking head, his body to get split in half, bro, dead,” Balat is heard saying on the recording, according to the indictment. Prosecutors indicated the remark was likely directed at Lang. Balat also allegedly discussed targeting both government officials and civilians.
“All I know is I want to start terror, bro,” Kayumi allegedly told Balat, according to court documents.
If convicted, both Balat and Kayumi face life in prison.
Federal prosecutors told the judge on Wednesday that they are preparing “voluminous” discovery materials. The two teens are scheduled to appear in court again on May 16.
The demonstration outside of Gracie Mansion in early March drew more than 100 protesters and counterprotesters. Authorities say Balat threw a bomb toward the far-Right protesters, but it did not detonate. He allegedly attempted to deploy a second bomb before dropping it and fleeing the scene. An NYPD officer was hailed for quickly jumping into action to chase down Balat and apprehend him.
Authorities later recovered a third improvised device from a nearby car, which contained traces of triacetone triperoxide, a highly volatile explosive compound commonly referred to as the “Mother of Satan.”
Investigators allege Balat pledged allegiance to ISIS during interrogations, while Kayumi told authorities he had watched ISIS propaganda, CBS News reported. The two had also recently spent time in Turkey, and Kayumi flew to Saudi Arabia in 2024, according to the New York Post.
“This was a planned attack motivated by extremist ideology and inspired by a violent, foreign terrorist organization,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in March.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the attempted bombing “reprehensible,” but not before he condemned the far-Right protesters for demonstrating.
“White supremacist Jake Lang organized a protest outside Gracie Mansion rooted in bigotry and racism. Such hate has no place in New York City. It is an affront to our city’s values and the unity that defines who we are,” Mamdani said one day after the attempted attack. “What followed was even more disturbing. Violence at a protest is never acceptable. The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are.”
