New York City witnessed a potential terror attack on Saturday that has now sparked a high-profile media correction. CNN host Abby Phillip issued a public apology on Wednesday after misidentifying the target of an alleged ISIS-inspired attack during a broadcast of “CNN NewsNight.”
The incident occurred on Saturday when the New York Police Department arrested 19-year-old Ibraham Kayumi and 18-year-old Emir Balat. The suspects are accused of throwing a device containing Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP)—the same explosive compound used in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing—into a protest group led by activist Jake Lang.
Video footage from the scene appears to show Balat shouting “Allahu akbar” while throwing the improvised device.
During Tuesday’s episode of “CNN NewsNight,” Phillip stated that the attack had targeted New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
“Two Republicans say Muslims don’t belong here after an attempted terror attack against New York’s Mayor Zoran Mamdani, and the House speaker, Mike Johnson, says nothing really to condemn those comments,” Phillip said during the segment. Her remarks referenced recent social media posts by Republican Representatives Randy Fine of Florida and Andy Ogles of Tennessee regarding Islam in America.
However, the Department of Justice, which is currently investigating the case, clarified that the attack was directed at the protest led by Lang, not the Mayor.
Phillip took to X on Wednesday to address the error. “I want to correct something I said last night,” Phillip posted. The bombs thrown in New York City over the weekend by alleged ISIS-inspired attackers were thrown into a crowd of anti-Muslim protestors and not specifically targeted at Mayor Mamdani. That wording was inaccurate and I didn’t catch it ahead of time. I apologize for the error.”
The political backdrop of the reporting involved recent controversial statements from lawmakers. Representative Fine previously posted on Feb. 15 that “the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one” following a dispute with an activist over pets.
Additionally, Representative Ogles posted on March 5 that “America and Islam are incompatible,” while advocating for a “Muslim ban.”
The investigation into Kayumi and Balat remains ongoing as federal authorities look into the specific motivations behind the use of the TATP device at the Saturday demonstration.
READ: Fox News Analyst Slams Mayor Mamdani After Explosive Attack On NYC Protesters
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