Two men charged in failed bomb plot near NYC mayor's home, aiming to kill up to 60
Two men charged in failed bomb plot near NYC mayor's home, aiming to kill up to 60
Federal prosecutors say two Pennsylvania men plotted a mass attack outside Gracie Mansion, recording dashcam conversations and aiming to kill dozens, with ties to IS.
Two Pennsylvania men, Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, were charged on Tuesday with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction in a foiled attack outside Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City's mayor. Prosecutors say the pair had planned to detonate two explosives during a March protest and wanted the attack to be far larger than the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. The men allegedly discussed their aims in the car and in camera and audio recordings recovered by investigators.
Dashcam video captured hours of Balat and Kayumi driving around and talking about killing people. A notebook recovered in the vehicle listed materials needed to assemble a homemade bomb and outlined alternative targets, including a festival, parade, or protest. Prosecutors say a third bomb was found in the car.
The indictment includes a quote where Balat said, “All I know is I want to start terror, bro,” and another where he suggested they could “kill about 8 to 16 people” or up to 30 to 60 if the area was crowded. The two suspects waived their right to remain silent after their arrest.
Authorities described the March 7 plan as an attempt on a high-profile target given Gracie Mansion's location near a major protest site. The case underscores concerns about homegrown threats and the reach of extremist influence.
The case is proceeding in federal court; prosecutors say the suspects hoped to boost mass casualties and cited IS as an inspiration. No detonations occurred, and officials recovered the explosives and a car with a third bomb detected.
