“CNN NewsNight” host Abby Phillip apologized Wednesday for claiming that an alleged Saturday ISIS-inspired terrorist attack targeted Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City.
Officers from the New York Police Department took 19-year-old Ibraham Kayumi and 18-year-old Emir Balat into custody Saturday after they threw a device with the explosive compound Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP) at a protest led by activist Jake Lang. During Tuesday’s episode of “CNN NewsNight,” Phillip claimed the attack targeted the first Muslim mayor of New York City.
“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, referencing comments made on social media by Republican Reps. Randy Fine of Florida and Andy Ogles of Tennessee.
WATCH:
Video of the incident appears to show Balat shouting “Allahu akbar” as he threw the improvised explosive device. The Department of Justice is investigating the attack, which is says targeted the protest led by Lang.
TATP had been used in previous terrorist attacks, including a 2017 bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, that killed 22 people.
“I want to correct something I said last night,” Phillip posted on X Wednesday. “The bombs thrown in New York City over the weekend by alleged ISIS inspired attackers was 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.”
During the segment Phillip teased with her false claim about the Saturday attack, CNN commentator Ana Navarro claimed that Mamdani had been targeted. Phillip failed to correct Navarro’s claims.
I want to correct something I said last night. The bombs thrown in New York City over the weekend by ISIS inspired attackers was 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…
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) March 11, 2026
In February, Fine came under fire after a couple of posts on X criticizing a pro-Hamas activist who said people needed to not keep dogs inside because they were “unclean.”
“If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one,” Fine, who is Jewish, posted on Feb. 15.
“America and Islam are incompatible,” Ogles posted March 5 as a caption to a video defending legislation he called a “Muslim ban.” “Time for a Muslim ban.”
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