Terror suspect caught on camera buying fuses days before New York attack

New details have emerged regarding the suspects accused of launching an explosive attack outside the New York City mayor’s residence, with evidence suggesting a premeditated purchase of materials.

Surveillance footage obtained from a fireworks store in suburban Philadelphia appears to show 18-year-old Emir Balat purchasing a 20-foot safety fuse on 2 March, just five days before the incident at Gracie Mansion.

William Weimer, spokesperson for Phantom Fireworks, described the £5.50 transaction as unremarkable at the time.

"Coming in and buying that was uneventful," Weimer noted. "Had he bought 20 rolls of fuse, it might have raised eyebrows."

Balat and his alleged accomplice, Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, reportedly travelled from Pennsylvania to Manhattan to confront an anti-Islam demonstration.

Authorities state that Balat threw an "ignited device" consisting of a sports-drink bottle filled with explosives and fragmentation, such as nuts and bolts.

Although the first device failed to detonate, a second was retrieved before Balat fled the scene. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed the devices were designed for maximum impact.

The FBI is now investigating the assault as a potential act of terrorism. Prosecutors allege that Balat claimed inspiration from ISIS and expressed a desire for the attack to be "even bigger" than the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

Both men face five federal counts related to terrorism and explosives. While their legal representatives intend to contest the charges, the discovery of the fuse purchase provides a significant lead for federal investigators examining the lead-up to the weekend’s violence.