CNN has been compelled to remove a social media post that appeared to downplay the severity of a suspected ISIS-inspired bombing attempt near the residence of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani over the weekend. The network acknowledged that the post failed to meet its editorial standards and was subsequently deleted.
Post Described Suspects as 'Teenagers Enjoying the City'
The initial X post, which has since been erased, described suspects Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, as 'two Pennsylvania teenagers' who 'crossed into New York City Saturday morning for what could've been a normal day enjoying the city during abnormally warm weather.' It continued by stating that within an hour, their lives changed drastically as they were arrested for throwing homemade bombs during an anti-Muslim protest outside Mayor Mamdani's home.
Swift Backlash and Deletion
The poorly constructed post quickly drew criticism from numerous onlookers before being deleted around 9:30 AM on Tuesday. CNN released a statement shortly thereafter, admitting the post 'failed to reflect the gravity of the incident thereby breaching the editorial standards we require for all our reporting.' A CNN spokesperson further confirmed to the Daily Mail that the post had been removed.
Charges and Details of the Incident
The two teenagers referenced in the report were charged with domestic terrorism-related offenses on Monday, two days after their arrests at a chaotic crime scene near Gracie Mansion. According to officials, Balat ignited and threw an improvised explosive device toward a group of anti-Muslim protesters, but it failed to detonate as intended. He then allegedly deployed another device at another point during the protests, which also did not explode.
Suspect Emir Balat, 18, ran to another location down the block and received a second explosive device from alleged accomplice Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, on Saturday. The pair had traveled together from Pennsylvania that morning. Both suspects have been charged with providing material support to a terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction. They told officials they were inspired by ISIS, with Balat also reportedly standing with counter-protesters during the incident, according to a federal complaint.
Intentions and Official Statements
Both suspects are said to have informed police that their intent was for the attack to be 'even larger' than the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013, which resulted in three fatalities. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, 'This was an alleged ISIS-inspired act of terrorism that could have killed American citizens.' She added, 'We will not allow ISIS’s poisonous, anti-American ideology to threaten this nation - our law enforcement officers will remain vigilant, as they were when these devices were brought to a protest.'
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr., and NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch both alleged that the suspects were 'inspired by ISIS,' with Tisch calling the failed strike 'an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism.'
Ongoing Investigation and Additional Charges
Balat and Kayumi remain in custody on domestic terrorism charges, with other charges including transportation of explosive materials and unlawful possession of explosive devices. The FBI and NYPD's investigation into the incident is still ongoing as of Tuesday afternoon. Not much else is known about the suspects aside from their alleged support of a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Officials confirmed that the men traveled together from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, to the protest site shortly before the incident. The post was deleted sometime around 9 AM but was screen-captured by various X users before its removal.
