TLDR
Federal prosecutors say two Bucks County teens traveled to a New York protest with improvised explosive devices, while federal agents have now searched a Langhorne storage unit as investigators examine alleged ISIS inspiration and possible online radicalization.
The case centers on 18-year-old Emir Balat of Langhorne and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi of Newtown, who are charged in federal court with material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and use of a weapon of mass destruction. Prosecutors allege the pair traveled from suburban Pennsylvania to Manhattan, where Balat allegedly ignited and threw devices into a protest crowd near an official residence associated with New York City leadership.
Storage Raid Opens New Front in Federal Case
According to Fox News, a federal law enforcement official confirmed that agents executed a search warrant at a Public Storage facility in Langhorne in connection with the ongoing terrorism investigation. Helicopter footage showed authorities at the large storage complex, but officials have not publicly described what led them to the site or whether potential bomb-making materials or other evidence were recovered.
In a federal criminal complaint, prosecutors describe photographs that appear to capture Balat holding and throwing what they call Device 1 during a protest outside Gracie Mansion, and later receiving Device 2 from Kayumi. The complaint says Device 1 was roughly the size of a mason jar, fitted with a fuse, and filled with TATP, with nuts and bolts taped to the outside, details that help support the weapon-of-mass-destruction charge.
Charges, Alleged Motive, and Online Radicalization
Prosecutors allege that after his arrest, Balat wrote and signed a pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State while at a police precinct, including language that praised ISIS and expressed hostility toward nonbelievers. The complaint also states that Balat allegedly told investigators he and Kayumi wanted to carry out an attack larger than the Boston Marathon bombing, which he allegedly noted caused “only” three deaths. Those statements, if credited by a court, would strengthen prosecutors’ theory of an ISIS-inspired motive.
Suspect in NYC terror probe planned attack ‘bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing,’ prosecutors say
Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi accused of attempting to detonate explosive devices during protest near Gracie Mansionhttps://t.co/QTYOPwfv8g pic.twitter.com/d9JMOzjkI0— Daniela Collins (@romans11732) March 10, 2026
Two federal law enforcement officials, cited by Fox News, said investigators are examining whether the suspects became self-radicalized by consuming extremist propaganda online. They are reviewing digital devices, communications, and travel history, and officials say there is no evidence at this time of direct operational contact with ISIS. Former FBI supervisory special agent Jason Pack told Fox News that TATP is often associated with attackers who learned methods online, saying, “When you see TATP in a domestic case, it often points to online radicalization.”
Community Reactions and Unanswered Questions
Family accounts in the early record depict no clear warning signs. Kayumi’s mother filed a missing person report the same day as the alleged attack, and his father told the New York Times that his son typically checked in, saying, “If he is going to be five minutes late, he calls.” Neighbors of both families, quoted by regional outlets and Fox News, described the households as quiet and hard-working, and one neighbor said there had been “zero suspicious stuff” at Balat’s home.
Officials from Neshaminy School District, where Balat is a 12th-grade student, and Council Rock School District, where Kayumi recently graduated, told Fox News they have been in contact with law enforcement and have no information indicating any threat to their schools, which remain open. Fox News also reports no publicly known prior criminal history for either defendant. The outlet notes that federal authorities have disrupted several other alleged ISIS-inspired plots involving young people in recent years, highlighting continuing concern about online radicalization far from overseas conflict zones. As the case moves through the courts, with terrorism charges carrying lengthy potential sentences, the contents of the Langhorne storage unit and the full picture of the defendants’ digital activity may determine whether this remains an isolated alleged act or reveals a wider network.
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