By: Arthur Popowitz

Federal investigators probing the chilling attempted bombing outside New York City’s Gracie Mansion have uncovered what appears to be a crucial piece of evidence: surveillance footage showing one of the alleged perpetrators purchasing materials used in the construction of the improvised explosive devices that authorities say were intended to cause mass casualties.

According to a report on Wednesday in The New York Post, surveillance cameras inside a fireworks retail outlet in Pennsylvania captured Emir Balat, an 18-year-old suspect now facing federal terrorism charges, buying a consumer-grade fireworks fuse only days before the attack. The discovery has provided investigators with a new window into how the alleged plot was prepared and executed.

The footage, recorded at a Phantom Fireworks store in Penndel, Pennsylvania, shows Balat purchasing a 20-foot consumer firework safety fuse on March 2 for the modest price of $6.89, according to reports. The item, marketed for recreational pyrotechnics, has legitimate uses for fireworks enthusiasts. However, investigators believe it may have been repurposed as a timing mechanism for the homemade explosive devices allegedly thrown during the attack.

The surveillance material was uncovered after the company conducted a search of its own records once Balat’s name surfaced publicly in connection with the investigation. According to statements cited by The New York Post, Phantom Fireworks quickly reviewed its sales database to determine whether Balat or his alleged accomplice had purchased materials from the store.

When employees located the transaction, they discovered the corresponding video footage documenting the purchase. The company immediately turned over the material to federal authorities.

The fuse purchase has become one of several pieces of evidence tying Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, a 19-year-old alleged co-conspirator, to the attempted bombing that unfolded Saturday outside Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The incident occurred during a heated demonstration near the mayor’s Upper East Side residence. The protest had drawn activists protesting what they described as anti-Islam sentiment, as well as counter-protesters. Amid the tense atmosphere, the two suspects allegedly launched an attack that investigators say could have produced catastrophic consequences.

According to prosecutors’ allegations cited by The New York Post, Balat and Kayumi hurled two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) toward the crowd and nearby police officers.

Investigators say the bombs were constructed using a powerful explosive compound known colloquially as “Mother of Satan,” a nickname widely associated with the unstable chemical triacetone triperoxide, or TATP.

TATP has been used in numerous terrorist attacks around the world due to its relatively simple synthesis from widely available chemical precursors. Its extreme volatility, however, also makes it notoriously dangerous to handle—even for those attempting to assemble the devices.

Prosecutors allege that surveillance footage captured the dramatic sequence of events as the attack unfolded. According to the account described in reports referenced by The New York Post, Balat can be seen throwing one of the devices near a group of police officers stationed at the protest site. Moments later, investigators claim, Kayumi handed him another IED.

The images allegedly show the pair attempting to flee after deploying the devices. In a fortunate turn that may have prevented a major tragedy, neither bomb detonated. Investigators have not yet publicly disclosed the precise reason the devices failed to explode, though experts note that improvised bombs assembled with volatile materials often malfunction.

Despite the failure of the explosives to detonate, the presence of the devices sparked immediate alarm among law enforcement personnel and demonstrators gathered nearby.

New York Police Department officers assigned to security at the protest reacted within seconds. Witnesses described officers charging toward the suspects as the chaotic scene unfolded, preventing the pair from escaping the area. According to authorities, Balat and Kayumi were apprehended almost immediately after the alleged attack.

The rapid response by officers has been widely credited with preventing the suspects from potentially deploying additional devices or harming more people.

The two teenagers were taken into custody and later transferred into federal custody as the investigation expanded.

Authorities say the suspects appear to have embraced extremist ideology in the months leading up to the attempted attack. Law enforcement sources cited by The New York Post have indicated that both Balat and Kayumi are believed to have self-radicalized, adopting the ideology of the Islamic State terrorist organization without direct operational guidance from overseas militants.

Federal prosecutors allege that after their arrests, the two men admitted to harboring radical Islamist motives. In one of the most disturbing allegations emerging from the investigation, Balat reportedly told investigators that he hoped the attack would prove more deadly than the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, which killed three people and injured hundreds.

Such statements have heightened concerns among investigators that the suspects were intent on carrying out a mass-casualty attack.

Both suspects now face federal charges related to providing material support to ISIS, according to prosecutors. If convicted, they could face lengthy prison sentences under U.S. terrorism statutes, which carry severe penalties for individuals who attempt to assist or advance the goals of designated terrorist organizations. The Department of Justice has not yet released full details about how the suspects allegedly prepared the explosives, though the discovery of the fuse purchase is expected to form part of the prosecution’s case.

The revelation that the suspects were able to acquire components for explosive devices so easily has shocked many observers. While fireworks fuses and other materials are legally sold for recreational purposes, experts note that seemingly innocuous items can be repurposed by individuals seeking to construct improvised bombs.

Retailers across the country routinely cooperate with law enforcement when suspicious purchases are discovered. In this case, Phantom Fireworks’ decision to review its sales records and promptly provide the surveillance footage to investigators has been praised as an example of responsible corporate action.

The foiled Gracie Mansion bombing attempt serves as a stark reminder of the continuing threat posed by lone-actor extremists. Unlike traditional terrorist networks that rely on complex organizational structures, self-radicalized individuals can often move quickly and quietly, using widely available materials to assemble weapons.

Security experts warn that such attacks are particularly difficult to detect in advance. The case also highlights the role that online propaganda and extremist messaging can play in motivating individuals to adopt violent ideologies.

Authorities have not yet disclosed the full extent of the suspects’ online activity or what sources may have influenced their alleged radicalization.

Federal and local investigators continue to examine evidence connected to the plot, including digital communications, purchase records, and forensic analysis of the explosive devices recovered at the scene. Officials say additional details about the planning and preparation of the attack may emerge as the case proceeds through the judicial system.

For now, the surveillance footage from a Pennsylvania fireworks store—showing a teenager purchasing a simple fuse for less than seven dollars—has become a chilling symbol of how seemingly mundane transactions can play a role in the preparation of acts of terror.

As the investigation unfolds, authorities are emphasizing that vigilance by businesses, law enforcement, and communities remains one of the most effective tools in preventing extremist violence before it can claim lives.