NYC Mayor Condemns Protest Before Calling ISIS Inspired Bomb Attempt Terrorism

New York City narrowly avoided a potentially deadly terrorist attack over the weekend after two suspects allegedly attempted to detonate improvised explosive devices during a protest. Yet the aftermath quickly sparked political controversy when the city’s far-left mayor chose to condemn the protest itself before fully acknowledging the attempted bombing as terrorism.

Police say the suspects attempted to deploy explosives containing TATP a substance infamous among terror groups and commonly known as the “Mother of Satan.” The compound has been used in several ISIS-linked attacks around the world because of its extreme volatility and destructive power.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the mayor opened his press conference by attacking the protest the explosives were thrown toward, describing it as “a vile protest rooted in white supremacy.”

“I’m the first Muslim mayor of our city. Anti-Muslim bigotry is nothing new to me,” he said before later acknowledging the suspects had attempted what authorities believe was an act of terrorism.

Nearly two minutes into the briefing, he finally addressed the suspects directly.

“Two men traveled from Pennsylvania and attempted to bring violence to New York City,” the mayor said. “They are suspected of coming here to commit an act of terrorism.”

Authorities identified the suspects as Amir Balat and Ibrahim Qayyumi. Video released by police shows the pair throwing improvised explosive devices toward a crowd gathered at the protest site.

Investigators believe the attack was inspired by ISIS, according to New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Fortunately, the devices failed to detonate.

“TATP is a dangerous and highly volatile explosive that has been used in IED attacks around the world,” Tisch said. “Our bomb squad rendered both devices safe.”

Officials stressed that the devices had the potential to cause serious injuries or deaths had they exploded.

TATP has been used in multiple high-profile terrorist incidents, including the 2015 Paris attacks, which killed 130 people, and the 2016 Brussels bombings, which left 32 dead. The chemical compound is notoriously unstable and difficult to transport safely, which is why terrorists often use it in suicide attacks.

Police say the suspects’ actions could have caused catastrophic harm.

Several critical facts highlight how serious the attempted attack was:

• TATP explosives are extremely unstable, capable of detonating from friction, heat, or minor impact.

• Roughly 8.5 million people live in New York City, making any public terror attempt particularly dangerous due to population density.

• Since the September 11 attacks, the NYPD has disrupted dozens of terror plots, many involving extremist ideology.

The department has since increased counterterrorism deployments across the city.

Additional heavy weapons teams, K-9 units, and aviation patrols are now operating throughout New York as officials monitor potential threats. Authorities noted the city has remained on heightened alert since the escalation of hostilities involving Iran in the Middle East.

Police also revealed that a third suspicious device discovered inside a vehicle triggered another emergency response Sunday, though investigators later confirmed it contained no explosive material.

Commissioner Tisch emphasized that the city narrowly avoided a tragedy.

“The last time an IED was deployed targeting people in New York City was in 2017 when a device detonated in a Times Square subway station,” she said. That blast injured only the attacker.

“Once again we were fortunate that the devices used this weekend did not cause the kind of harm they were certainly capable of causing,” she added. “But luck is never a strategy.”

Officers on scene reacted immediately once the devices were ignited.

“When those devices were lit in the middle of a crowded protest, officers did not step back; they stepped forward,” Tisch said.

Police quickly detained both suspects after the attempted attack and secured the explosives.

Authorities say further details about the suspects and their potential connections will be released in an upcoming criminal complaint as the terrorism investigation continues.

For many observers, the incident highlights the ongoing threat of extremist violence inside the United States and raises new questions about political leadership in moments that demand clarity.

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