Emir Balat, a 18-year-old former Philadelphia teenager known for selling sneakers online, was arrested for allegedly plotting a bomb attack near New York City's Gracie Mansion. Authorities say Balat, who once made over $200 per pair reselling limited-edition sneakers, purchased a slow-burning fuse near his home just days before the March 7th incident. Security footage captured him buying 20 feet of fuse at a Pennsylvania fireworks store for $6.89.

Five days later, Balat and co-conspirator Ibrahim Nikk Kayumi, 19, drove to Manhattan and allegedly threw a homemade bomb near the official residence of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim. The bomb, containing metal and a powerful explosive, never detonated and caused no injuries. Both men were charged with attempting to support ISIS and using a weapon of mass destruction.

Balat's sudden shift from online retail to terrorism highlights the ease of radicalization via online platforms, according to counterterrorism experts. The FBI is now investigating their electronic devices and physical evidence seized from Balat's hometown.