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BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. – One of two Pennsylvania men accused of planning an ISIS-inspired terror attack in New York City bought fireworks fuses at a suburban Pennsylvania store days before allegedly throwing fireworks at protesters outside the Gracie Mansion.
Emir Balat, 18, of Langhorne, bought a 20-foot roll of consumer safety fireworks from Phantom Fireworks in Pendel on March 2, according to the seller and surveillance footage obtained by Fox News Digital.
The purchases came two days after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
The video shows Balat pulling into the store’s parking lot and going inside. He slowly exits the camera’s view before returning to the counter with the fuse, talking to a sales associate and completing the $6.89 purchase on the way out.
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Surveillance camera footage shows Emir Balat buying fireworks fuses in Pennsylvania on March 2. (Photos courtesy of Phantom Fireworks)
“One item purchased was a 20-foot long fuse for fireworks,” Phantom Fireworks Vice President and General Counsel William Weimer told Fox News Digital. “Total spent was $6.89 including tax.”
Five days later, Balat and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi of Newtown, allegedly threw fireworks at a protest outside the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The event, titled “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City: Stop Islamic Prayer for New York City,” drew about 20 participants.
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Surveillance camera footage shows Emir Balat buying fireworks fuses in Pennsylvania on March 2. (Photos courtesy of Phantom Fireworks)
The counter-demonstration, “Run the Nazis out of New York City: Stand Against Hate,” drew about 125 people at its peak.
Although the NYPD separated the groups into designated areas, tensions escalated shortly before noon when a protester linked to Lang used pepper spray on protesters, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The police investigated “time” before arresting.
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Emir Balat is on the run after allegedly throwing a homemade explosive at police during a protest in front of Gracie Mansion in New York City, Saturday. (Charly Triballeau / AFP via Getty Images)
About 30 minutes later, Balat allegedly threw a “burnt device” at a residence at East 87th Street and East End Avenue. Eyewitnesses reported that flames and smoke erupted when it was airborne, hit a barrier and burned the feet of the police.
Balat then ran south on East End Avenue, took a second device from Kayumi, turned it on and fled before dumping it between East 86th and East 87th streets. The police arrested both men.
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The defendants are now facing five charges – attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, using a weapon of mass destruction, transporting explosives, interstate transportation and receiving explosives and illegal possession of destructive materials.
Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch and Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
