ISIS-inspired Gracie Mansion bombing suspects plead not guilty on federal terrorism charges

The two men arrested for throwing homemade bombs outside of Gracie Mansion in early March have been arraigned on federal terrorism charges. Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, were ordered to be held without bail in the Manhattan federal court appearance. 

The two pleaded not guilty before US District Judge Vernon Broderick, per the New York Post. In the hearing, federal prosecutor Jane Chong said that the team would need at least three more weeks to look through "more than a dozen" electronic devices.

The Department of Justice indicted Balat and Kayumi in March on charges that include Attempted Provision of Material Support and Resources to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, Use of a Weapon of Mass Destruction, Transportation of Explosive Materials, and Unlawful Possession of Destructive Devices.

Kayumi allegedly said ISIS was the reason for the attack, and Balat told authorities that he had pledged allegiance to ISIS, per a complaint. Balat said he wanted to conduct an attack "even bigger" than the Boston Marathon bombing that took place in 2013. Balat was also seen yelling on video, "Allahu Akbar" as he threw the explosive device.

In dash camera footage captured while the pair was driving from Pennsylvania to Manhattan to allegedly carry out the attack, they were heard discussing how they wanted to target right-wing activist Jake Lang. 

"All I know is I want to start terror, bro,” Kayumi said in the recording. “I want to petrify these people.”

“Oh yeah, what do you think, are they going to remove the airplanes for us… over New York? Are they going to stop them? If we do the attack and the bombs go off and everything,” Balat replied.

Balat said in the recording that he had put enough explosive material inside the device to kill up to 60 people in a crowded area. Balat said he “can’t wait for that bomb to go off and his [Lang’s] freaking head, his body to get split in half, bro, dead.”