FBI Launches Terror Probe After Suspects Reportedly Admit to Being Inspired By ISIS During Clash In Front of Mamdani’s NYC Mansion

The FBI has launched a federal terrorism investigation after two suspects who threw “ignited devices” at anti-Islam protesters admitted to being inspired by ISIS, CNN reported on Sunday afternoon.

The explosives — which were about the size of a football and packed with screws, nuts, and bolts — were hurled at demonstrators participating in a protest called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” in front of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence on Saturday. That protest — which had about 20 attendees — drew a counterprotest called “Run the Nazis out of New York City” that had about 120 participants.

Things turned violent when protesters from the dueling rallies started to clash and the ignited devices were thrown by the pro-Islam demonstrators. Footage from the scene showed protesters trading blows and grappling with cops.

“Law enforcement sources [are] also telling us that the two suspects that were arrested in relation to these incendiary devices have admitted to being inspired by ISIS,” CNN correspondent Gloria Pazmino reported on Sunday.

The CNN report highlighted one of the suspected explosives on the screen, with the device appearing to be wrapped in gray duct tape.

Pazmino’s report came shortly after NBC’s Tom Winter reported the NYPD and FBI were investigating the incident as “a possible act of terrorism in part because one of the suspects directly referenced ISIS.”

CBS News also reported that it reviewed videos from the protests that showed one man “apparently yelling ‘Allahu Akbar’ — or ‘God is Most Great’ — just as a protester, identified as 18-year-old Emir Balat, of Pennsylvania, allegedly throws an “ignited device.'”

The outlet reported Balat “retrieved” a second device from 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi during the mayhem, lit it, and started running with it before dropping it. CBS added:

Investigators are looking into the overseas travel for Balat and Kayumi. Balat left the U.S. for several months and traveled to Istanbul from May 6 to Aug. 26, 2025. Meanwhile, Kayumi traveled to Istanbul for several weeks in July and August 2024 and to Saudi Arabia in late March of that year.

Altogether, six people were arrested on Saturday. It is unclear which protests the other four people were associated with.

CBS and other outlets reported the “Stop the Islamic Takeover” rally was orchestrated by Jake Lang, a “pardoned Jan. 6 rioter and far-right influencer.”

Mamdani on Sunday said “white supremacist” Lang organized a protest that was “rooted in bigotry and racism.” He said those views have “no place” in NYC. Mamdani said what followed was “even more disturbing” and said violence at protests is “never acceptable.” He did not call anyone else out by name in his X post, which you can read below:

New York police announced on Sunday afternoon they had “identified a suspicious device in a vehicle on East End Avenue between 81st Street and 82nd Street” that was believed to be connected to the chaos on Saturday.

“NYPD officers have frozen the area around the vehicle and are conducting limited evacuations of buildings in the vicinity while the Bomb Squad assesses and removes the device,” NYPD posted on X.

Watch CNN’s report above.

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