The Council Rock School District is confirming that a 19-year-old Newtown Township man detained Saturday after homemade incendiary devices were located was a former student.
Emir Balat, 18, of the Langhorne section of Middletown Township, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, of Newtown Township, have been held by the NYPD and FBI since their detainment Saturday after a confrontation in New York City.
Council Rock Superintendent Dr. Andrew Sanko wrote a note to parents Monday morning after FBI raids at the homes of both men.
Credit: Submitted
Sanko said the district has been in communication with law enforcement officials.
“At this time, there is no information indicating any threat or connection to Council Rock,” Sanko wrote.
“Our schools will continue to operate as normal, and our established safety procedures remain in place. We encourage families to speak with their children if they have questions and to remind students to report any concerns to a trusted adult, counselor, or school administrator,” the superintendent stated.
Balat is a Neshaminy High School students and a note was sent to parents in that district Sunday night.
The investigation, which involves the NYPD, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, is exploring potential ties to international terrorism.
According to an NBC News report, one of the men referred to ISIS during questioning.
As of Sunday night, Balat and Kayumi had not been formally charged.
“As always, we encourage families to speak with their children about issues and let us know if concerns arise. If any student has concerns or needs support in school, they should speak with a trusted staff member, counselor, or school administrator,” Bowman said in his note.
The arrests came after a Saturday afternoon clash between dueling protesters near Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohron Mamdani.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Balat ignited a device and threw it toward a crowd after an anti-Muslim protester used pepper spray. The device hit a barrier and extinguished in a crosswalk near police officers.
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Tisch said Balat then fled, obtained a second device from Kayumi, and dropped it while running.
Officers arrested both men at the scene.
The NYPD bomb squad recovered two devices, each roughly the size of a football.
Tisch described the items as jars wrapped in black tape, filled with nuts, bolts, and screws, and equipped with a “hobby fuse.”
An NYPD official confirmed Sunday that at least one item was an “improvised explosive device that could have caused serious injury or death.”
A third “suspicious device” was reportedly found Sunday in a car connected to the suspects near the scene, according to the New York Daily News.
The incident occurred during a “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” rally led by Jake Lang, a far-right influencer. The anti-Muslim event was met by a larger counterprotest.
The dueling protests happened during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.
Mayor Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, was inside the residence at the time with his wife, according to NBC 4 NY.
“The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are,” Mamdani said in a statement.
Below is Sanko’s full note to parents:
We are aware of recent national news reports regarding the arrest of a Newtown resident in connection with an incident in New York City. The individual referenced in these reports is a former Council Rock student and graduate.
We understand that events receiving significant media attention can raise questions and concerns. Please know that the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority.
Administration has been in communication with law enforcement. At this time, there is no information indicating any threat or connection to Council Rock.
Our schools will continue to operate as normal, and our established safety procedures remain in place. We encourage families to speak with their children if they have questions and to remind students to report any concerns to a trusted adult, counselor, or school administrator.
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting a safe school community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Andrew J. Sanko
Superintendent
