A frightening attempted terror attack outside New York City’s mayoral residence has reignited a debate many Americans thought the country had settled after 9/11: how far should authorities go to stop suspected terrorists before innocent lives are lost?
On the March 9 episode of The Five, commentator Greg Gutfeld delivered a fiery reaction to the failed bombing attempt that unfolded two days earlier outside Gracie Mansion.
According to authorities, two suspects—Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi—allegedly hurled homemade improvised explosive devices during a tense confrontation between anti-Islam demonstrators and counter-protesters on March 7.
The devices reportedly contained TATP, a volatile explosive used in multiple terrorist attacks around the world, along with metal shrapnel designed to maximize casualties. Investigators say the men pledged allegiance to Islamic State and hoped to carry out an attack even more devastating than the Boston Marathon bombing.
Fortunately, the bombs failed to fully detonate. No one was seriously injured.
But the close call has raised troubling questions about how such an attack could come so close to succeeding—and whether law enforcement hesitated in the moment.
Gutfeld, known for his blunt style, argued during the broadcast that political correctness and fear of being labeled “Islamophobic” may have contributed to overly cautious policing.
“What drives me nuts,” Gutfeld said, “is that we can decapitate Iran, kill their leaders overseas, but we can’t rub out two parasites on the street who just tried to kill a bunch of people.”
The remarks sparked debate among the show’s panel, but Gutfeld doubled down on his central point: that police officers today often face intense scrutiny for using force, even when confronting suspected terrorists.
“I mean, you don’t know if they’ve got another bomb on them,” he said. “Twenty years ago, they would have been shot dead, and maybe that sends a message.”
The conservative host insisted he was not condemning Islam as a religion—something he reiterated repeatedly during the segment—but argued that policymakers and media outlets often avoid difficult conversations about extremist violence.
“Of course most Muslims aren’t terrorists,” he said. “But an overwhelming number of terrorists we deal with claim Islam as their motivation. If we refuse to acknowledge that reality, we’re never going to solve the problem.”
The attempted attack occurred amid heightened tensions in New York, where protests and counter-protests over religion, immigration, and geopolitics have increasingly spilled into the streets.
Security analysts say the fact that the suspects allegedly used TATP—a highly unstable explosive sometimes nicknamed the “Mother of Satan”—should alarm officials. The substance has been used in attacks in Europe and the Middle East because it can be manufactured using relatively accessible materials.
Critics of Gutfeld’s comments argue that strong policing must still respect due process and civil liberties. Supporters counter that the country learned hard lessons after the terrorist attacks of September 11 attacks, when nearly 3,000 Americans were killed.
For many conservatives, the near-miss outside Gracie Mansion serves as a stark reminder that the threat of terrorism—particularly from ISIS-inspired radicals—has not disappeared.
And for voices like Gutfeld, the message is simple: America must confront uncomfortable truths about extremism if it hopes to prevent the next tragedy.
