Two men have been charged with terrorism-related offenses after attempting to detonate homemade explosives outside the New York City mayor’s residence during an anti-Islam protest. The suspects, 18-year-old Emir Balat and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi, allegedly aimed to carry out an attack inspired by the Islamic State group (IS), with one of them claiming the planned attack would be "even larger" than the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Authorities reported that the pair attempted to detonate two explosive devices near Gracie Mansion, the home of Mayor Zohran Mamdani. A third bomb was discovered in their vehicle. The incident occurred during a protest, though none of the explosives activated. Footage showed one suspect being detained moments after lighting one of the devices, which failed to explode. Balat and Kayumi face charges including attempting to provide material support to IS and using a weapon of mass destruction. During their arrest, Balat allegedly made statements expressing allegiance to IS and calling for the death of nonbelievers. He also reportedly expressed hope that the attack would surpass the Boston Marathon bombing in scale, despite the 2013 incident resulting in three deaths and hundreds of injuries. In a statement, New York City Police Commissioner Andrea Tisch emphasized the potential devastation of such devices, noting that the explosives used contained triacetone triperoxide—a volatile homemade compound linked to previous terror attacks. She praised officers who responded to the threat, highlighting their bravery in neutralizing the devices without hesitation. The suspects were detained following their first court appearance, where a federal magistrate ordered their continued detention until a hearing on 8 April.#new_york_city #emir_balat #ibrahim_kayumi #mayor_zohran_mamdani #andrea_tisch
