Mayor Zohran Mamdani refused to condemn the pair of alleged ISIS-loving radical Islamists Monday who are charged with tossing IEDs near Gracie Mansion during an anti-Muslim protest Saturday.
“They are suspected of coming here to commit an act of terrorism,” Hizzoner said during a press conference outside Grace Mansion, flanked by NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
“There’s video of these two individuals throwing two devices towards the protest. The police department has determined that these were improvised explosive devices made to injure, maim, or worse.”
He added, “Let me say this plainly anyone who comes to New York City to bring violence to our streets will be held accountable in accordance with the law.”
Mamdani, the first Muslim mayor of the city, railed against the anti-Muslim protesters but did not mention that the counter-protesters were allegedly self-radicalized by ISIS videos.
Ibraham Kayumi, 19, and Emir Balat, 18, both of Pennsylvania, were arrested following the incident on Saturday after an IED was tossed near the protesters.
Cops initially believed the devices tossed was merely homemade smoke grenades. But they were later determined to be highly volatile bombs that failed to go off.
“These were not hoax devices, nor smoke devices, “Tisch said.
“It is, in fact, an improvised explosive device that could have caused serious injury or death.”
The pair of Muslim fanatics allegedly built a homemade bomb with “Mother of Satan” — triacetone triperoxide, or TATP — a volatile explosive commonly used by international terrorists.
A third device was discovered in a black 2010 Honda linked to the alleged wannabe terrorists parked on East End between East 81 and 82nd streets. Using a robot, Tisch said, the device was removed — but later tested negative for explosive material.
The two men had come to Manhattan to counterprotest right-wing agitatorJake Lang, who held an anti-Muslim demonstration outside Gracie dubbed “Stop the Islamification of NYC.”
“This was a vile protest rooted in white supremacy,” Mamdani said at the top of his prepared remarks Monday.
“I’m the first Muslim mayor of our city, anti-Muslim bigotry is nothing new to me, nor is it anything new for the 1 million or so Muslim New Yorkers,” he said, adding, “While I found this protest appalling, I will not waver in my belief that it should be allowed to happen.”
Tisch confirmed at the press conference that the act was being investigated as “ISIS-inspired terrorism.”
The FBI took over the investigation on Sunday and searched the two suspects’ homes in Bucks County, just outside Philadelphia.
The pair will face federal charges that will be unsealed later Monday.
