Gun Store Owner Indicted for Conspiracy and Attempting to Provide Material Support to Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The owner of Grips By Larry, a former federal firearms licensee (FFL) was indicted last week on charges related to providing material support to Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (“CJNG”) and Cartel de Sinaloa (“CDS”), Mexican cartels that were designated as foreign terrorist organizations in 2025.

On March 17, 2026, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a superseding indictment against Laurence Gray, 65, of Hereford, Arizona, for Attempting to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Conspiracy to Provide Support to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. Gray was arraigned on the indictment in federal court today.

Gray, the owner of Grips by Larry, a federally licensed firearms dealer in Arizona, was previously indicted for firearms trafficking offenses in 2025, alongside a second individual, Barrett Weinberger, 73, of Tucson, Arizona. The original charges against both men included trafficking in firearms, aiding and abetting the straw purchasing of firearms, and aiding and abetting material false statements during the purchase of a firearm. In addition to more firearms charges, last week’s superseding indictment added material support to terrorism charges against Gray.

The indictment alleges that Gray knowingly attempted to provide firearms to CJNG in May of 2025, and knowingly conspired to provide firearms to both CJNG and CDS that same year. Both cartels were designated by the U.S. Secretary of State as foreign terrorist organizations pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act on Feb. 20, 2025.

Convictions for Conspiracy to and Attempting to Provide Material Support to a Designated Terrorist Organization each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. A conviction for Trafficking in Firearms carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. A conviction for Aiding and Abetting the Straw Purchase of Firearms carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. A conviction for Aiding and Abetting a Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcus Shand, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Antifa Cell Members Convicted in Prairieland ICE Detention Center Shooting

Nine North Texas Antifa Cell operatives were convicted today by a federal jury in Fort Worth, Texas for their roles in rioting, using weapons and explosives, providing material support to terrorists, obstruction, and attempted murder of an Alvarado police officer and unarmed correctional officers at the Prairieland ICE Detention Center on July 4, 2025, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.  

In a 12-day trial that began on February 23, 2026, jurors heard testimony from more than 45 witnesses and considered over 210 exhibits supporting the charges against nine indicted defendants: Cameron Arnold, a/k/a Autunm Hill, Zachary Evetts, Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris, a/k/a Meagan Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto, and Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada.  Seven others, Seth Sikes, Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Susan Kent, Rebecca Morgan, Lynette Sharp, and John Thomas, pled guilty last year to one count of providing material support to terrorists.

“Antifa is a domestic terrorist organization that has been allowed to flourish in Democrat-led cities — not under President Trump,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s verdict on terrorism charges will not be the last as the Trump administration systematically dismantles Antifa and finally halts their violence on America’s streets.”

“These guilty verdicts and convictions rightly reflect the vicious, armed attack that these Antifa cell members planned and executed against law enforcement and detention center officers on the night of July 4 last year,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Their terrorist acts, attempted murder, vandalism, and explosives launched at a detention facility were a far cry from some peaceful protest or First Amendment expression.  Because of the prompt action of first responders that night and tenacious work of our law enforcement partners in tandem with the prosecutors in my office, sixteen people have been brought to justice for these violent acts and their attempts to conceal them.  We will continue in this mission to hold others accountable who perpetrate such violence and fund these ANTIFA groups in the Northern District of Texas.”

“Today’s verdict shows the FBI remains committed to identifying, locating, and dismantling Antifa and its funding networks across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Acts of violence against our law enforcement partners will not be tolerated, and we continue our work to protect communities across the country from domestic terrorism.”

“The calculated, violent attack at ICE’s Prairieland facility was an abhorrent way for antifa terrorists to ‘protest’ the way this agency enforces the law — but these verdicts make clear that those who choose violence over lawful expression will face the full force of the American justice system,” said ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “The men and women who serve at these facilities deserve to do their jobs without facing intimidation or violence. Let today’s outcome serve as a warning: Those who target federal officers with intimidation, ambush tactics or political violence will be investigated, prosecuted and held accountable.” 

“The coordinated attack on the Prairieland Detention Center required a whole of government approach from the initial response throughout the investigation and trial. The FBI’s JTTF led this collective effort resulting in convictions and guilty pleas by those who committed violent acts against our law enforcement partners,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “I want to thank all the law enforcement agencies that collaborated with us on this investigation. Our collective goal remains to ensure the safety and security of our communities in North Texas.”

“This case marks a historic moment as it represents the nation’s initial federal indictment targeting a coordinated group of Antifa cell members engaged in violent criminal activity,” said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. “The charges demonstrate our unwavering commitment to confronting domestic terrorism and protecting our communities from organized threats.”

Testimony and other evidence at trial established that the defendants were members of a North Texas Antifa Cell, part of a larger militant enterprise made up of networks of individuals and small groups primarily ascribing to an ideology that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and the system of law.  An expert testifying in the government’s case told the jury that Antifa’s coordinated efforts involve obstructing Federal law through organized riots, violent assaults, and armed confrontations with law enforcement officers, increasingly targeting agents and facilities related to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement in opposition to the agency’s deportation actions.  

Evidence at trial revealed that most of the Antifa Cell involved in the Prairieland attack looked to Benjamin Song as a leader.  Song acquired firearms that he distributed to co-defendants and recruited members at gun ranges and combat sessions he conducted, as well as from various ideologically aligned groups.  For example, defendants Ines Soto, Elizabeth Soto, and Savanna Batten were part of a group that created and distributed insurrectionary materials called “zines,” according to trial evidence.

Trial testimony reflected that, late at night on July 4, at least eleven of the defendants rioted and attacked the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, which the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was using to house illegal aliens awaiting deportation.  The defendants dressed in “black bloc”—dark clothing with head and face coverings that concealed their identities—designed to hide each individual’s identity but also to aid and abet those members engaged in illegal acts by making members indistinguishable from one another to law enforcement.  Evidence introduced at trial revealed that the defendants brought eleven firearms, body armor, and eleven military-grade first aid kits with tourniquets and other items for gunshot wounds to the scene of the attack.  Many of these items were introduced by the government as exhibits.  Additionally, fingerprint evidence linked many of the defendants to the items at the scene, and evidence obtained on phone locations supported that those who participated in the attack all turned off their phones or placed them in Faraday bags to prevent tracking on the night of the attack.

After Antifa Cell members arrived at Prairieland, they began shooting off and throwing fireworks (explosives) at the facility and vandalizing vehicles and a guard shack on Prairieland property: 
 

Witnesses testified that an Alvarado police officer responded to the scene after correctional officers called 911.  When the officer began issuing commands to defendant Nathan Baumann, Benjamin Song can be heard on police bodycam video yelling, “get to the rifles!” and then he opened fire on the officers, striking the Alvarado police officer in the neck as the unarmed correctional officers ducked and ran for cover.  Police arrested most of the Antifa Cell shortly after the attack, many near the scene.  Benjamin Song escaped and remained at large with the help of others until his capture on July 15, 2025.

Trial evidence demonstrated that collectively, the Antifa Cell acquired over 50 firearms in the Fort Worth/Dallas area prior to July 4.  During trial, the government introduced numerous chats of the members, who used an encrypted messaging app to coordinate with each other that had auto-delete functions, permanently deleting some Antifa Cell members’ communications.  They also used monikers in group chats to hide their identities, and some of the planning chats included only trusted participants.  The chats introduced at trial revealed that members in this limited group conducted reconnaissance and discussed what to bring to the riot, including firearms, medical kits, and fireworks:
 

Witnesses who testified during the government’s case included the Alvarado police officer who was shot in the neck by Song, detention officers present that night who also took cover from rapid fire, multiple additional responding officers, numerous investigative agents, and cooperating codefendants, including Baumann, Sharp, Thomas, and Kent.  Among other things, Kent testified that the night before the attack at a “gear check,” Song proposed to free the detainees at Prairieland and told the group that they should wear black bloc and bring rifles, because he (Song) wasn’t going to be arrested.  Evidence at trial also revealed that some of the defendants attended a peaceful daytime protest at Prairieland on July 4—without the gear they brought that night—and that they reported back to other defendants details regarding security at the facility:

The jury convicted the nine defendants of the following offenses:

• Riot (Count 1), with the intent to commit an act of violence, involving conduct such as shooting and throwing fireworks and explosives, slashing tires on a government vehicle, spraying graffiti on property and vehicles, destroying a closed circuit camera, shooting at officers, and dressing in black bloc.
  • Defendants convicted: Cameron Arnold, Zachary Evetts, Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto
• Providing Material Support to Terrorists (Count 2), including property, services, training, communications equipment, weapons, explosives, personnel (including themselves), and transportation.
  • Defendants convicted: Arnold, Evetts, Song, Batten, Morris, Rueda, E. Soto, and I. Soto
• Conspiracy to Use and Carry an Explosive (Count 3), and Using and Carrying an Explosive (Count 4), during a riot.
  • Defendants convicted: Arnold, Evetts, Song, Batten, Morris, Rueda, E. Soto, and I. Soto
• Attempted Murder of Officers and Employees of the United States (Count 7), involving the unlawful attempt to kill with malice aforethought the Alvarado Police Officer.
  • Defendant convicted: Song
• Discharging a Firearm During, and in Relation to, and in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence (Counts 8, 9, and 10), i.e., the attempted murder of two correctional officers and an Alvarado Police Officer.
  • Defendant convicted: Song
• Corruptly Concealing a Document or Record (Count 11), by transporting a box containing numerous Antifa materials, such as insurrection planning, anti-law enforcement, anti-government, and anti-immigration enforcement documents and propaganda from Sanchez Estrada’s residence to a location in Denton, Texas, intending to conceal the box’s contents and impair its availability for use in a federal grand jury and federal criminal proceeding.
  • Defendant convicted: Daniel Rolando Sanchez Estrada
• Conspiracy to Conceal Documents (Count 12) and other objects that would implicate Maricela Rueda in the riot and shooting at the Prairieland facility.
  • Defendants convicted: Sanchez Estrada and Maricela Rueda

Song faces a minimum penalty of 20 years and a maximum of life imprisonment. Arnold, Evetts, Morris, Rueda, Batten, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto each face a sentence ranging from a minimum of ten years up to sixty years in federal prison.  Sanchez Estrada faces up to 40 years in federal prison.

The sole count of providing material support to terrorists to which Baumann, Gibson, Kent, Morgan, Sharp, Thomas, and Sikes pled guilty, mirrors the material support offense in the charges presented to the jury at trial.  Each of these defendants face a sentence of up to fifteen years in federal prison.

Sentencing hearings for the sixteen defendants are pending in front of United States District Judge Mark Pittman, who oversaw the trial.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI—Dallas, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), ATF, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Alvarado Police Department, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Gatto, Shawn Smith, and Matt Capoccia prosecuted the case.

Senior Special Warfare Leaders Highlight Community's Capabilities, Define Its Challenges

March 18, 2026 | By Matthew Olay, Pentagon News |

The principal civilian advisor to the U.S. secretary of war for all matters related to special operations forces and the most senior military SOF leader provided testimony at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill today on the SOF community's capabilities and challenges it faces ahead.

During the hearing, Derrick M. Anderson, assistant secretary of war for special operations and low-intensity conflict, and Navy Adm. Frank M. Bradley​, head of U.S. Special Operations Command, explained how special operations forces are successfully countering U.S. adversaries overseas while comprising just 3% of the joint force and 2% of the War Department's budget.  

"Today's environment rewards forces that can operate persistently and decisively, often below the threshold of armed conflict, generating irregular effects by, through and with our allies and partners in order to produce a whole effect that is much greater than the sum of its parts — your special operations forces provide that capability," Bradley explained during his remarks. 

As an example of this, Anderson pointed out that every major U.S. military operation has a SOF component to it. 

"From the Western Hemisphere, across the Indo-Pacific, to the Middle East, Africa, Europe and beyond, SOF has been decisive in defending the homeland, deterring China and enabling our partners and allies," Anderson said. 

Bradley concurred with that statement, adding that the mission is not accomplished by technology and equipment alone. 

"[Rather,] it is executed by the most decisive advantage that we have: our people," he said. 

Bradley added that the SOF community is strong and getting stronger, empowered by a culture of meritocracy and supported by programs committed to the preservation of SOF personnel and their families.  

During testimony, both leaders explained how building strong partnerships — both between the SOF community and the branches of the joint force and partners and allies around the world — are key to SOF success. 

"When we talk about the military department-to-department relationships, Adm. Bradley and I are 100% working with the other departments not only to give our lessons learned to the Army, the Navy [and] the Air Force, so that their acquisition processes get better, but to learn where [SOF] can get better," Anderson told committee members. 

Bradley said there are presently 6,500 U.S. SOF operators and enablers deployed in about 80 different countries working to build, maintain and sustain generational partnerships and relationships.

He further explained that such relationships are key to countering influence operations that our adversaries are conducting to prey upon our allies and partners with malign behavior designed to gain unwarned access and leverage over them. 

"Our ability to illuminate that malign behavior, and then to pass it and make our partners aware of it — many times through diplomatic channels, but sometimes directly, mil[itary]-to-mil[itary], security service-to-security service — is a critical way to be able to help undermine our adversaries' actions [overseas]," Bradley said. 

When asked about the top three challenges Socom currently faces this fiscal year, Bradley said that the ability to project force into increasingly contested environment, where our adversaries pose threats to the U.S., is at the top of the list. 

"Our first priority is always to maintain readiness for the current threats that are out there. Crisis response is that top priority for us being able to respond agilely to wherever [the crisis] might present," Bradley said, adding that demands for SOF crisis response have increased 300% over the last five years. 

The second challenge, he said, is to take advantage of the cyber and virtual domain, which he said are critical maneuver spaces. 

"Another aspect of the rapidly evolving, changing character of warfare is the emergence of abundant, lethal autonomy. And yes, that is a threat that we will have to contend with, but it's also one we can leverage," Bradley said. 

"And finally … our people must continue to be our foundation, ensuring they are trained, ready, supported and educated for the future," he said of the third challenge Socom is most focused on this year. 

Looking ahead, Anderson and Bradley said that SOF's transformation and modernization are key to future success. 

"SOF needs sustained partnership, predictable resourcing and continued modernization," Anderson told the committee, adding that congressional support of the SOF community is greatly appreciated. 

"SOF was purpose built for this era of competition, and we can provide an instant, indispensable asymmetric advantage for the joint force and the nation," Bradley told the committee.  

"And with your continued support, we will meet today's missions while transforming to ensure that we are ready for the challenges of tomorrow," he added.  

War Department Senior Leaders Prioritize Western Hemispheric Security

March 17, 2026 | By David Vergun, Pentagon News |

The War Department is prioritizing security in the Western Hemisphere, which is integral to U.S. homeland defense, said Joseph M. Humire, performing the duties of assistant secretary of war for homeland defense and Americas security affairs, who spoke today during a House Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington.

Joint Task Force Southern Border helped seal the Southwest border in record time through deterrence and close partnership with federal law enforcement, he said, adding that "border security is national security." 

The department has deployed more than 12,000 service members along the border and has established six national defense areas covering 845 miles, or 42% of the border across Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.  

Border security is augmented by cutting-edge technology and infrastructure, including counter-unmanned aerial systems and additional miles of border barrier.

Over the last 14 months the department has helped reverse record illegal mass migration into the lowest recorded border encounters in history, Humire said. 

"This past January marked the fourth consecutive month decline in border apprehensions, with figures 93% below the historic average," he added.  

The department is also focused on issues beyond the border.  

"For the first time in history, the department is going on the offense against designated terrorist organizations and other major cartels in our hemisphere," he said. 

Operation Southern Spear is providing deterrence against narco-terrorism threats in the Americas. Since the operation began, there has been a 30% reduction of drug vessel movements in the Caribbean and a 25% reduction in the Eastern Pacific. 

Flows of fentanyl, which Humire called a "weapon of mass destruction," have dropped by 56% and cocaine flows by 20%. 

"That means there are less Americans dying from deadly drugs that have been poisoning our communities and our children for years. In fact, overall, inside the United States, we've seen a 20% decline in U.S. drug overdoses in the last year," he said.  

The Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, a partnership of South American and Caribbean nations formed earlier this month, is aimed at rooting out narco-terrorism threats through deterrence-focused operations, Humire said. 

As of last week, Chile became the 18th member of that coalition.

This month, Ecuador became the first country to conduct joint land strikes in Latin America against cartel infrastructure, bringing collective hard power against cartels and increasing burden sharing.  

The department is also securing "key terrain, from Alaska to Greenland in the Arctic to the Gulf of America and the Panama Canal and surrounding countries," Humire said. 

During the hearing, Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, said NORAD and Northcom are taking on new missions and rapidly implementing innovative approaches to safeguard North America.

That approach includes deterring adversaries and defending against all threats in all domains, from intercepting long-range bombers off the coasts of Alaska and Canada, tracking advanced maritime platforms in the approaches to North America, and standing ready to defend against long-range missile attacks, the general said, providing some examples of Northcom's focus: 

• The stand-up of Joint Task Force Gold to address security posed by unmanned aerial systems. 
• The command is designated as the department synchronizer for counter-small UAS activities in the continental U.S. 
• Developed a rapidly deployable counter-small UAS fly-away kit to defend critical installations and employ innovative technologies to protect U.S. personnel. 
• Accelerated the development of new counter-small UAS technologies in partnership with industry, with the aim of providing security in the Arctic. 

The general said that Northcom and NORAD are participating in joint and combined exercises with allies and partners, such as Arctic Edge and Noble Defender. 

"Trusted relationships are a cornerstone of regional security and homeland defense," he added.

Marine Corps Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, spoke during the hearing about his command's development of four imperatives: 

• Strengthening hemispheric command and control by redesigning Southcom headquarters for strategic level operations at range, speed and scale.
• Imposing total systemic friction on drug cartels and terrorist networks with the help of partner nations.  
• Developing and fielding cost-effective technology for warfighters, who are aided by autonomous systems, human machine teaming and all-domain awareness and data sharing for U.S. and partner forces.  
• Denying adversarial footholds and undoing influence in the hemisphere, including preventing their ability to position forces or other capabilities that threaten the homeland or regional partners and challenge access to key terrain like the Panama Canal and its approaches. 

Two ISIS Supporters Charged With Attempting To Detonate Explosive Devices During Protests Outside Gracie Mansion

Avowed ISIS Supporters Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi Attempted to Detonate Two Devices During a Protest and Counter-Protest Outside Gracie Mansion, the Residence of the Mayor of New York

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Attorney General for the United States, Pamela Bondi, Deputy Attorney General for the United States, Todd Blanche, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today charges against EMIR BALAT and IBRAHIM KAYUMI alleging that they attempted to detonate two explosive devices in the vicinity of Gracie Mansion, and that they were acting in support of ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

“As alleged, on Saturday, March 7, during protests taking place outside Gracie Mansion on the Upper East Side, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi attempted to detonate two improvised explosive devices amongst the protesters,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “Moreover, after being apprehended by NYPD officers, both Balat and Kayumi stated they were aligned with ISIS.  Free speech and peaceable assembly are the bedrock of American democracy.  Violence is not protected speech, and it’s not protected protest.  In New York, violence—particularly acts of terror—will be met with swift justice.  This investigation remains ongoing, and we encourage anyone with further information to please contact tips.fbi.gov online or 1-800-CALL-FBI.”

“This was an alleged ISIS-inspired act of terrorism that could have killed American citizens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.  “We will not allow ISIS’s poisonous, anti-American ideology to threaten this nation—our law enforcement officers will remain vigilant, as they were when these devices were brought to a protest.”

“These men allegedly sought to inflict mass casualties in service to ISIS with the hope of exceeding the carnage of the Boston Marathon bombing,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.  “We are tremendously grateful to the brave law enforcement officers who ran into harm’s way to apprehend these individuals and disarm the explosives before anyone was harmed.  Thanks to the quick investigative work by federal law enforcement, this Department of Justice will prosecute these men, who pledged allegiance to a foreign terrorist organization, to the fullest extent.”

“Inspired by ISIS, a designated terrorist organization, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi allegedly threw one improved explosive device, and attempted to toss another, into a crowd gathered on East End Avenue,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr.  “Balat and Kayumi sought to incite fear and mass suffering through this alleged attempted terror attack.  Alongside the NYPD, the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force will not tolerate those who use violence against targets in New York City to broadcast their terrorist ideologies.”

“As alleged in the complaint, the crimes committed by Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi were not random,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch.  “This was an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism.  From the first moments since the attack, the NYPD has been working seamlessly with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and I am deeply grateful for their partnership in this investigation.  The men and women of the NYPD will continue to stand watch over this city and selflessly run towards the danger to keep the public safe.”

As alleged in the Complaint:[1]

On or about March 7, 2026, a protest called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City, Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer” and a counter-protest called “Run Nazis Out of New York City” were held outside of Gracie Mansion in Manhattan, New York.  Gracie Mansion is the official residence of the Mayor of New York City.

At approximately 12:15 p.m., BALAT ignited and threw an explosive device (“Device-1”) toward the area where the protesters were gathered, as pictured below:

Immediately after throwing Device-1, BALAT ran to another location down the block and received a second explosive device (“Device-2”) from KAYUMI, as pictured below:

After apparently igniting Device-2, BALAT dropped Device-2 near where several NYPD officers were standing, ran away from the NYPD officers, and jumped over a barricade.  He was tackled and arrested by NYPD officers shortly thereafter, as was KAYUMI.  Pictured below are BALAT mid-flight and Device-2 hitting the ground:

Following his arrest, while en route to the NYPD precinct, BALAT stated to NYPD officers: “this isn’t a religion that just stands when people talk about the blessed name of the prophet . . . We take action!  We take action!”; and “if I didn’t do it someone else will come and do it.”  Then, after arriving at the NYPD precinct, BALAT requested a piece of paper and, after being given a paper and pen, wrote the following: “All praise is due to Allah lord of all worlds!  I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State.  Die in your rage yu [sic] kuffar!  Emir B.” “Kuffar” is an Arabic term that refers to “non-believers” or “infidels,” and “Die in your rage” is a slogan used by ISIS.

Law enforcement officers later asked BALAT if he was familiar with the Boston Marathon bombing, and if that was what BALAT had hoped to accomplish.  BALAT responded: “No, even bigger.  It was only three deaths.”

After KAYUMI was arrested, and as he was being placed inside an NYPD vehicle to be transported from the scene to an NYPD precinct, an individual from the surrounding crowd yelled to KAYUMI and asked why KAYUMI had done this.  KAYUMI responded, “ISIS.”  Then, at the NYPD precinct, in response to a question from law enforcement about whether he was affiliated with ISIS, KAYUMI indicated that he was.  He further stated, in substance and part, that: (i) he has watched ISIS propaganda on his phone; (ii) his actions that day were partly inspired by ISIS; (iii) he did not feel comfortable holding the Devices earlier that day; and (iv) he would not feel comfortable if the Devices were in the interrogation room with him.

After BALAT and KAYUMI were arrested and the Devices were secured, an FBI Special Agent Bomb Technician (“SABT”) conducted a preliminary examination of the Devices and determined that they were each approximately the size of a mason jar; that they each had an attached fuse; and that they each had nuts and bolts attached to the exterior, surrounded by duct tape.  A preliminary analysis of Device-1, the device that BALAT threw into the crowd of protesters, showed that it contained TATP, a highly volatile explosive that is colloquially known as the “Mother of Satan” and extremely sensitive to impact, friction, and heat.  TATP has been used in multiple terrorist attacks over the last decade.

Pictured below are the contents inside Device-1 after it was opened by law enforcement:

On or about March 8, 2026, law enforcement officers located a parked vehicle registered to a family member of BALAT a few blocks from Gracie Mansion.  From inside the vehicle, law enforcement officers recovered a coiled green material consistent in appearance with hobby fuse, an empty metal can of the same approximate dimensions and appearance as the can recovered from inside Device-1, and a notebook containing handwritten notes.  One page of the notebook contains the note “TATP explosive”; another page contains a list of chemical ingredients, including “hydrogen peroxide,” “sulfuric acid,” and “acetone”; and a third page contains a list of components and quantities, such as “aluminum can x6,” and “a box of bolts ect [sic] 2x.”

*                *                *

BALAT, 18, of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and KAYUMI, 19, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, are charged with attempted provision of material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; use of a weapon of mass destruction, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; transportation of explosive materials, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; interstate transportation and receipt of explosives, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and unlawful possession of destructive devices, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force of the FBI, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the New York City Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the New York State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI Newark Field Office, the FBI Philadelphia Field Office, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance.

This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan L. Bodansky and Jane Y. Chong are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney James Donnelly of the Counterterrorism Section and paralegal specialist Juan Muñoz.

 [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the charging instrument to date constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.

War Department Continues to Encourage Civilians to Augment Homeland Security Border Mission

March 11, 2026 | By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News |

Last year, the War Department announced a unique opportunity for department civilians to serve at the Department of Homeland Security and support DHS as it works to keep America safe.

Six months in, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth wants department civilians and their supervisors to know this opportunity still exists; DHS still needs help. Supervisors across the department should ensure interested employees can participate whenever possible.

"I encourage all who are interested to volunteer for this detail opportunity. Supporting interior immigration enforcement actions, apprehending illegal aliens and securing our borders are vital to the national security of the United States," Hegseth said in a Feb. 19 memorandum. "I expect every supervisor to encourage their civilian employees to volunteer. Leadership must continue to promote this detail program and educate their civilian employees on its importance."

The secretary noted that supervisors must approve any volunteer requests that do not conflict with mission-essential functions. Any DOW civilian can volunteer, regardless of their job or skills; no resume is needed.

Department employees can sign up on the USAJobs website, where they will complete a short questionnaire and upload required documents. Details to Homeland Security last about 60 days, though volunteers have the opportunity to do a total of three 60-day details with the agency.

"Securing our border and defending the homeland are a whole-of-government effort that benefits from the diverse skill set of the department's civilian workforce," said Tim Dill, assistant secretary of war for manpower and reserve affairs. "We thank all employees who have answered the call to support our partners at DHS and encourage others to explore this opportunity."

Since the opportunity was announced in August 2025, nearly 1,000 DOW civilians have been added to the roster to assist DHS, and more than 200 have already been deployed.

Michael A. Cogar, the deputy assistant secretary of war for civilian personnel policy, noted those War Department civilians who have stepped up to help DHS have returned and said the experience was rewarding.

"I've gotten feedback from the department civilians who've returned from their deployments on how meaningful it has been for them to be a part of this mission," Cogar said.

War Department civilians who volunteer to work with DHS will be assigned to support roles within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, focusing on data entry, operational planning support, processing and throughput logistics, and logistical support.

Detailed employees may be deployed to a variety of locations in the U.S., including San Diego; Williston, Vermont; Chicago; and El Paso, Texas. Right now, Cogar said, the biggest need voiced by DHS is for volunteers to work at the call center tipline in Vermont.

The War Department and DHS both defend the homeland, he said. This makes War Department civilians well-suited for details at ICE and CBP.

"This detail program is unique to the Department of War and DHS," Cogar said. "It really goes back to what our Department of War civilians are capable of. They are out there every day supporting the warfighter in critical national security missions. They know exactly how to execute when it comes to supporting this requirement from DHS, to make sure that their agents have everything they need when it comes to logistics and administrative support, so they can go out there and execute in the field and help secure our nation's borders to protect our American citizens."

JIATF 401 Publishes Guide to Counter-Drone Technology and Privacy Protections

March 9, 2026 |

The Joint Interagency Task Force 401 today announced the publication of "Counter-UAS Operations: Safeguarding Freedoms and Preserving Privacy," a comprehensive guide to the sensor technologies used to detect and identify drone threats and the legal framework that governs their use.

As the threat from unauthorized and nefarious small unmanned aerial systems continues to evolve, JIATF-401 is leading the effort to deploy effective countermeasures while upholding critical privacy protections.

This new guide provides insight into the passive, non-intrusive sensor technologies — such as Radar, Electro-Optical/Infrared, and Radio Frequency Detection — that allow security personnel to maintain airspace awareness without interfering with civilian drone operations.

"Countering drones is not just a battlefield problem — it's a homeland defense imperative," said Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, director of JIATF-401. "Our goal is to integrate sensors, effectors and mission command systems in a distributed network that protects service members and American citizens alike."

Brig. Gen. Ross noted, "This guide is part of our commitment to transparency, ensuring that as we deploy these critical technologies, we do so in a way that is responsible, respects privacy, and maintains public trust."

A key focus of the document is explaining how these systems operate in compliance with Federal Surveillance Law. By analyzing only the physical properties of a signal — its "signal fingerprint" — and not the content of a transmission, these C-UAS systems can effectively identify the type of drone and its location without infringing on individual privacy.

"Our approach is to safeguard privacy by design," said Col. Scott Humr, deputy director of science and technology for JIATF-401. "The technologies we are fielding are engineered to be effective while adhering to strict privacy principles. By focusing on data minimization and secure handling processes, we collect only what is necessary to identify a potential threat. This allows us to protect critical infrastructure and public safety without compromising the civil liberties that we are sworn to defend."

The publication of this guide is part of JIATF-401's broader mission to synchronize C-UAS efforts across the Department of War and with interagency partners, rapidly delivering capabilities to the warfighter and protecting the homeland.