Two Men Charged with Bringing Homemade Bombs to NYC Mayor's Home

FBI finds explosive residue in Pennsylvania storage unit linked to the suspects

Mar. 10, 2026 at 6:11pm

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The FBI has discovered explosive residue in a Pennsylvania storage unit as part of an investigation into two men, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, who were charged with bringing homemade bombs to a protest outside the home of New York City's mayor. The suspects, both 18 and 19 years old, told police they were inspired by the Islamic State group.

Why it matters

This incident raises serious concerns about domestic terrorism and the threat of homemade explosives being used to target public officials and disrupt civic life. It also highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in monitoring and preventing such attacks, especially those inspired by extremist ideologies.

The details

According to the criminal complaint, Balat and Kayumi were arrested on Saturday after police discovered they had brought homemade bombs to a protest outside the home of New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The FBI later searched a Pennsylvania storage unit linked to the suspects and found explosive residue.

  • The suspects were arrested on Saturday, March 9, 2026.
  • The FBI searched the Pennsylvania storage unit as part of the investigation.

The players

Emir Balat

An 18-year-old man charged with bringing homemade bombs to a protest outside the New York City mayor's home.

Ibrahim Kayumi

A 19-year-old man charged with bringing homemade bombs to a protest outside the New York City mayor's home.

Eric Adams

The mayor of New York City, whose home was the target of the alleged bomb plot.

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What they’re saying

“We must remain vigilant against the threat of domestic terrorism and work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.”

— Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City

What’s next

The suspects are expected to appear in federal court in the coming days, where prosecutors will seek to keep them detained without bail as the investigation continues.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the ongoing challenge of preventing homegrown extremism and the need for robust intelligence gathering and information sharing between law enforcement agencies to stay ahead of potential threats to public safety.