Federal investigators are expanding their probe into the failed ISIS-inspired bombing attempt outside New York City’s Gracie Mansion, and the trail has now led them to Pennsylvania.
On Monday, the FBI confirmed that agents conducted a court-authorized search of a storage facility in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. The location is significant because it sits in the same borough where one of the suspects, 18-year-old Emir Balat, lived with his parents.
According to the FBI’s New York office, the search is part of an ongoing investigation being handled by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force along with the New York Police Department.
Agents reportedly discovered additional homemade explosive devices inside the storage unit. Authorities at the scene told reporters that the FBI bomb squad carried out controlled detonations of three improvised explosive devices later that night. Residents nearby reported hearing at least one loud explosion as the devices were safely neutralized.
Langhorne is located just a few miles south of Newtown, Pennsylvania, where investigators had already searched a large home belonging to the parents of Balat’s alleged accomplice the night before.
Balat and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi are accused of plotting a deadly attack during a protest outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Upper East Side residence on Saturday.
Investigators say the two suspects attempted to detonate improvised explosive devices outside Gracie Mansion, but the bombs ultimately failed to explode. Authorities arrested both suspects shortly after Balat allegedly threw one device toward a crowd and dropped another near a group of police officers.
A federal complaint filed Monday revealed disturbing details about the suspects’ intentions. According to investigators, the pair hoped to carry out an attack that would cause even more casualties than the Boston Marathon bombing.
“It was only three deaths,” Balat allegedly said while referring to the Boston attack, indicating he wanted something “even bigger” in New York.
Authorities also say the suspects openly pledged allegiance to ISIS after their arrest. According to the complaint, Balat asked for pen and paper while at an NYPD station and wrote a message declaring loyalty to the Islamic State.
“All praise is due to Allah lord of all worlds,” he allegedly wrote. “I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State. Die in your rage.”
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch explained that the phrase “Now die in your rage” is a slogan commonly associated with ISIS, while the word “kuffar” refers to non-believers.
“These statements make clear that this was not random violence,” Tisch said. “This was a planned attack motivated by extremist ideology and inspired by a violent foreign terrorist organization.”
The case highlights the ongoing threat posed by radical extremism, but it also demonstrates the vigilance of American law enforcement. Thanks to rapid action by the NYPD and federal investigators, what could have been a devastating terrorist attack was stopped before lives were lost — a reminder that strong security and determined officers remain one of the country’s greatest defenses.
