A quiet suburban peace was shattered as details emerged following a foiled terror attack in New York City, revealing a series of unsettling calls made from the home of one of the suspects. Three separate calls to law enforcement originated from the Newtown, Pennsylvania residence of Ibrahim Kayumi’s family within a 36-hour period, beginning Saturday afternoon.
The first call came at 4:15 p.m., followed by another late that evening at 9:19 p.m., and a third on Sunday at 8:54 p.m. The nature of these calls remains shrouded in mystery, with authorities releasing no information about the content or reason for contacting police. This silence only deepens the intrigue surrounding the events.
The two young men accused in the attack, 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi and 18-year-old Emir Balat, lived a mere ten miles apart in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, yet their backgrounds and worlds couldn’t have been more different. Their actions have left neighboring communities reeling in disbelief.
Federal officials allege that Balat and Kayumi drove nearly two hours to New York City, where they hurled live explosive devices toward a protest outside Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence. The devices contained a highly volatile mixture – Triacetone Triperoxide, or TATP – and were packed with shrapnel in the form of nuts and bolts secured with duct tape.
Ibrahim Kayumi’s parents, originally from Afghanistan, became naturalized U.S. citizens in 2004 and 2009. His mother, Shaysta Kayumi, currently works as a manager at a Popeyes restaurant, while his father, Khayer Kayumi, once attempted to purchase a Popeyes franchise in Brooklyn.
Court records reveal Khayer Kayumi’s 2010 attempt to acquire the Brooklyn Popeyes was thwarted by a substantial tax debt exceeding $200,000 on the property. The location was ultimately taken over by Bank of America three years later. Despite these past financial hurdles, the Kayumi family currently resides in a Newtown home valued at over $2.2 million.
The family’s distress became palpable when Ibrahim failed to return home Saturday night. “Maybe he had killed himself,” Khayer Kayumi told the New York Times, expressing a desperate fear for his son’s well-being. He described Ibrahim as a son who always communicated his whereabouts, even for minor delays.
Emir Balat’s family also navigated a complex path to citizenship. His father, Selahattin, filed a lawsuit against Homeland Security in 2017, alleging delays in processing their citizenship application, initially submitted in 2015. They ultimately achieved citizenship in 2017.
Neighbors described the Balat family as “absolutely lovely people,” expressing complete shock at the allegations. Violeta Sadauskiene, a neighbor, emphasized that there were no signs of anything amiss at their home, and the news felt like a terrible mistake.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Balat’s attorney, Mehdi Essmidi, maintains that the two men were complete strangers. He asserts they had no prior connection – no shared residence, family ties, or school affiliations. This claim raises questions about how the two allegedly coordinated the attack.
Balat, a senior in high school, was completing his coursework remotely, with only three classes remaining. School officials confirmed he attended Neshaminy High School until September before transitioning to remote learning. Kayumi had already graduated from Council Rock High School North in 2024.
The investigation continues, leaving a community grappling with the unsettling reality that two young men from their midst are accused of a serious act of violence, and the unanswered questions surrounding the mysterious calls for help.
