The case of two men accused of throwing an improvised explosive device near Gracie Tower is being investigated as an “act of terrorism incited by the Islamic State,” New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tish said Monday.
Tish told a news conference with Mayor Zoran Mamdani that the suspects, Amir Barat and Ibrahim Qayoumi, will be charged in Manhattan federal court.
A criminal complaint outlining the charges and factual allegations is expected to be released later Monday, she said.
Tisch declined to discuss specific details of the ongoing investigation, citing pending federal indictments, but he confirmed that authorities are treating the case as terrorism-related.
Fox News previously reported that federal agents served search warrants in New Jersey and Pennsylvania for explosive devices thrown at protests in New York City.
An NYPD source told Fox News that the device thrown into the crowd was filled with nuts, bolts and screws and contained chemicals inside a duct tape canister containing a fuse.
Read it on the Fox News app
Barratt and Kayumi, who were arrested Saturday, remain in custody as federal investigators search their home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, according to federal sources.
Investigators also executed arrest warrants at related addresses in New Jersey.
New York City Police Department bomb squad officers search a car in New York City on March 8, 2026.
(Getty Images)
Video shows the NYPD dealing with a man who allegedly threw an “ignition device” near the New York City mayor’s home during protest clashes
Other federal sources told Fox News on Monday morning that a “terror investigation” is underway after improvised explosive devices and suspicious devices were discovered near Gracie Mansion over the weekend.
Sources said two suspects, Balat and Qayoumi, allegedly made pro-Islamic remarks while in detention.
Click here to download the Fox News app
Investigators are also looking into their past travels, including to Türkiye and other locations that may have been described as terror training grounds.
This is a developing story; please check back for updates.
Original source of the article: Arrest warrants issued in New Jersey and Pennsylvania as federal probes possible terrorism incident in New York City