The Washington Free Beacon’s morning newsletter conveniently summarizes events in New York City:
It was a banner weekend in Zohran Mamdani’s New York. First, radical demonstrators held a vigil for the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, chanting, “Iran’s missiles will reply.”
Then, two pro-Muslim fanatics—who trained with ISIS overseas, according to the New York Post—threw a makeshift bomb at police and protesters outside the mayor’s official residence, Gracie Mansion, when Mamdani and his virulently anti-Israel wife were inside. The fanatics were clashing with protesters demonstrating against “the Islamic takeover of New York City.” The bomb failed to detonate, but it was packed with explosives and could have killed people, according to the police commissioner. The New York Times referred to one of the bomb-throwers as a “counterprotester” facing down “far-right activists.” The two men were arrested on the scene.
Mamdani described the ordeal as “disturbing” but did not name the alleged attackers, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi. (He did defend his wife for “liking” social media posts celebrating Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack.)
The New York Post story cited in the summary is “Self-radicalized ISIS protesters used explosive called ‘Mother of Satan’ inside bombs thrown at Gracie Mansion protest.” The story includes a photo of the two perpetrators.
The bomb was an improvied explosive device designed to maim and to kill. The terrifying moment is captured on video along with the response of the NYPD.
The clearest video yet of the terrorist who attempted to throw an explosive at the protest yesterday in NYC.
The NYPD Officer jumping after him over the barricades is an absolute hero. pic.twitter.com/j2R2JsctXB
— Benny Polatseck (@BPolatseck) March 8, 2026
Bill Melugin reports on X that the two suspects arrested by NYPD for throwing the IED yelled “Allahu Akbar,” so we might say that the motive remains a mystery. Both are both believed to be U.S. citizens: “EMIR BALAT’s parents are both from Turkey & were naturalized into US citizens in 2017, while IBRAHIM KAYUMI’s parents are both from Afghanistan. Mom naturalized in 2009, dad naturalized in 2004.”
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch has confirmed the nature of the explosive device and mentions a second device. Commissioner Tisch further reports that the NYPD “is working on this investigation with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI through our Joint Terrorism Task Force.” In other words, the perpetrators will be charged by the Department of Justice and not be congratulated and released by Alvin Bragg.
As the war comes home, it would be well to note this. The New York Times story on the attempted bombing is shrouded in the fog of war, as are Mayor Mamdani’s comments. We may infer that the Times and the mayor are effectively on the other side.
