Explosive residue found in Bucks Co. storage unit connected to New York terrorism case, FBI says
MIDDLETOWN TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- FBI investigators conducted at least three controlled detonations at a Public Storage in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, late Monday while working the case of an alleged terror plot in New York City.
Federal investigators said explosive residue was found at the storage facility on South Flowers Mill Road in Middletown Township.
Only Action News was there as investigators set off the detonations a few minutes apart around 1:30 a.m.
Video from Chopper 6 shows law enforcement digging holes in a nearby grassy area. A law enforcement source familiar with the process says this is where the detonation process would've taken place, especially when dealing with highly unstable explosives.
The facility was open for business as usual on Tuesday. We spoke with a number of customers who were a little spooked by the investigation.
"Kind of astonishment to come down here and see what's going on because I have a storage locker here. But with the Iran thing going on, it's not entirely unexpected," said Michael Coyne of Langhorne.
The FBI has not released any more details about what exactly was found in the storage unit.
The facility isn't far from where the FBI conducted raids Sunday at the Bucks County homes of 18-year-old Emir Balat and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi.
As the investigation continues, new video reportedly shows Balat shopping at a fireworks store days before the planned attack. According to Bill Weimer, vice president and general counsel at Phantom Fireworks, Balat purchased a 20-foot consumer firework safety fuse for $6.89.
Following news of the incident and learning the suspects' names, Weimer said the company checked its records to see if either of the suspects had shopped there before. The company contacted the FBI, which then sent a subpoena asking for the sales record and video footage, he added.
READ MORE | Suspect charged in NYC terror plot allegedly seen shopping at Bucks County fireworks store
Officials said the men admitted to being inspired by ISIS when they brought explosives while protesting against anti-Islam demonstrators outside of the New York City mayoral mansion Saturday.
Officials said the homemade bombs were wrapped in bolts and nails, but did not explode.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday called the attack "absolutely despicable" and said government investigators and prosecutors won't rest until the perpetrators are brought to justice.
Mehdi Essimidi, an attorney representing Balat, spoke on camera for the first time outside of court on Monday.
"They are not known to each other. They did not live together. They did not have family or school ties," Essimidi said. "There is no reason to believe they knew each other prior to this incident and I don't know how well they knew each other at the time of this incident."
That conflicts with what federal prosecutors were presenting in court.
Prosecutors provided photos in court that they said show Balat with one of the improvised explosive devices in his hand outside of the mayor's home.
And officials said another photo shows him allegedly receiving a device handed over Kayumi.
"This was not random violence. This was a planned attack motivated by extremist ideology and inspired by a violent foreign terrorist organization," said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. "As alleged, both defendants have admitted that they acted on Saturday because of ISIS."
Much remains unknown about the motives, planning and relationship between Balat and Kayumi.
Court documents show Emir Balat's father, Selahattin Balat, is a native of Turkey who was granted asylum in the United States in 1998 and later became a U.S. citizen. In a 2009 bankruptcy filing, he listed his occupation as painter and said he had three children.
Emir Balat is a senior at Neshaminy High School in Langhorne. A school spokesperson said he enrolled in a virtual program in September and had not attended in-person classes since.
Kayumi is from Newtown, about 4 miles north of Langhorne. He graduated in 2024 from Council Rock High School North, according to a school spokesperson.
His attorney did not speak to reporters following a court hearing Monday and declined to comment when reached by The Associated Press.
Online records show that Kayumi's parents have owned and worked at multiple Popeyes fast food locations, including in Philadelphia, Brooklyn and Atlantic City.
His mother filed a missing person report with police Saturday, the day of the protest, saying her son had not been seen since that morning, according to the complaint.
On Tuesday afternoon, a park near the mayor's residence was evacuated and several surrounding streets were closed as police investigated reports of a "suspicious device."
The object was later determined to be nonthreatening.
Mamdani was not home at the time and Gracie Mansion was not evacuated, a City Hall spokesperson said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
