NYPD probes ‘suspicious device’ near Gracie Mansion after ISIS-inspired terrorism plot

NEW YORK (TNND) — The New York Police Department evacuated a Manhattan park near Gracie Mansion on Tuesday “due to a suspicious device” just days after homemade explosives were thrown outside Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s home in what law enforcement called “ISIS-inspired terrorism.”

“Due to a suspicious device, East End Avenue between East 85th and East 87th Street, as well as East 86th Street between York Avenue and East End Avenue are closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Additionally, Carl Schurz Park is closed at this time,” the NYPD wrote in a bulletin on social media.

It was not immediately clear if it was an explosive, a hoax, or something else at the scene.

Two men were arrested on Saturday after attempting to detonate improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at the mayoral mansion during dueling protests.

Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, and Emir Balat, 18, said they were inspired by the Islamic State extremist group, according to a federal court complaint.

Balat and Kayumi are awaiting arraignment on charges of attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction.

The FBI said they recovered three explosive devices from a storage facility on Monday in Pennsylvania, where the teens traveled from, and destroyed them with controlled detonations.

“Yesterday’s search of the storage unit believed to be connected the Gracie Mansion incident revealed explosive residue,” FBI New York wrote on X. “FBI Special Agent Bomb Technicians and the local bomb squads conducted a controlled detonation to ensure the safety of law enforcement and others in the area.”

Authorities said there is no evidence linking the incident at the “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” protest to overseas conflicts, including hostilities involving Iran. No prior credible threats from the suspects had been identified, and investigators do not believe additional individuals were involved.