Two ISIS Supporters Charged with Attempting to Detonate Explosive Devices During Protests Outside Gracie Mansion

For immediate release: Office of Public Affairs, US Department of Justice

Today, the Department of Justice announced 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.

“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.”

“The defendants allegedly support ISIS and tried to follow the path of that deadly group by attempting to detonate explosive devices in a crowd,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and our partners have no tolerance for terrorist organizations or those inspired by them to engage in attacks. We are committed to stopping acts of violence and will hold accountable those who seek to harm our citizens. I want to commend the brave NYPD officers who took action to prevent injuries or loss of life on the streets of New York.”

“This alleged act of terrorism, including the packing of metal shrapnel into explosive devices, reveal an intent to cause multiple deaths or serious injuries,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “This is a sober reminder of the threat posed by ISIS and its despicable ideology.  NSD will continue to use all tools at its disposal to protect this Nation and its people.”

“As alleged, on Saturday, March 7, during a protest 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 for the Southern District of New York. “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.”

As alleged in the Complaint:

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:

1. 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.”

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.

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, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the New York State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI Newark Field Office, the FBI Philadelphia Field Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance.

This case is being handled by the National Security and International Narcotics Unit for the Southern District of New York. 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 National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and paralegal specialist Juan Muñoz.

Updated March 9, 2026

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Topics

Counterterrorism

 

National Security

Components

Office of the Attorney General 

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 

National Security Division (NSD)

Press Release Number: 26-228

Press Release: Office of Public Affairs-U.S. Department of Justice 

Yesterday, a federal jury in San Francisco convicted former Google software engineer Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, 38, on seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets for stealing thousands of pages of confidential information containing Google’s trade secrets related to artificial intelligence technology for the benefit of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The jury’s verdict follows an 11-day trial before U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria for the Northern District of California.

“This conviction exposes a calculated breach of trust involving some of the most advanced AI technology in the world at a critical moment in AI development,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Ding abused his privileged access to steal AI trade secrets while pursuing PRC government-aligned ventures. His duplicity put U.S. technological leadership and competitiveness at risk. I commend the trial team and investigators whose exceptional work resulted in this conviction.”

“In today’s high-stakes race to dominate the field of artificial intelligence, Linwei Ding betrayed both the U.S. and his employer by stealing trade secrets about Google’s AI technology on behalf of China’s government,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI's Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Not only does this case mark the first-ever conviction on AI-related economic espionage charges, but it also demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering dedication to protecting American businesses from the increasingly severe threat China poses to our economic and national security. We remain committed to working closely with our partners across the private sector to protect our nation’s innovation, safeguard our trade secrets, and hold our foreign adversaries accountable.”

“Silicon Valley is at the forefront of artificial intelligence innovation, pioneering transformative work that drives economic growth and strengthens our national security.  The jury delivered a clear message today that the theft of this valuable technology will not go unpunished. We will vigorously protect American intellectual capital from foreign interests that seek to gain an unfair competitive advantage while putting our national security at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California.

“This conviction reinforces the FBI’s steadfast commitment to protecting American innovation and national security. The theft and misuse of advanced artificial intelligence technology for the benefit of the People’s Republic of China threatens our technological edge and economic competitiveness,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani for the San Francisco Field Office. “The FBI San Francisco division serves Silicon Valley and the companies who lead the world in innovation, and we are committed to safeguarding their work. This case demonstrates the strength of collaboration between the FBI and the private sector, including leading companies like Google, whose partnership is critical to protecting sensitive U.S. technology. Today’s verdict affirms that federal law will be enforced to protect our nation’s most valuable technologies and hold those who steal them accountable.”

Ding was originally indicted in March 2024. A superseding indictment returned in February 2025 described seven categories of trade secrets stolen by Ding and charged Ding with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets.

According to the evidence presented at trial, between approximately May 2022 and April 2023, while a Google employee, Ding stole more than two thousand pages of confidential information containing Google’s AI trade secrets from Google’s network and uploaded them to his personal Google Cloud account. Ding also secretly affiliated himself with two PRC-based technology companies while he was employed by Google: around June 2022, Ding was in discussions to be the Chief Technology Officer for an early-stage technology company based in the PRC; by early 2023, Ding was in the process of founding his own technology company in the PRC focused on AI and machine learning and was acting as the company’s CEO. In multiple statements to potential investors, Ding claimed that he could build an AI supercomputer by copying and modifying Google’s technology. In December 2023, less than two weeks before he resigned from Google, Ding downloaded the stolen Google trade secrets to his own personal computer.

The jury found that Ding stole trade secrets relating to the hardware infrastructure and software platforms that allow Google’s supercomputing data center to train and serve large AI models. The trade secrets contained detailed information about the architecture and functionality of Google’s custom Tensor Processing Unit chips and systems and Google’s Graphics Processing Unit systems, the software that allows the chips to communicate and execute tasks, and the software that orchestrates thousands of chips into a supercomputer capable of training and executing cutting-edge AI workloads. The trade secrets also pertained to Google’s custom-designed SmartNIC, a type of network interface card used to facilitate high speed communication within Google’s AI supercomputers and cloud networking products.  

In presentations to investors, Ding called out the PRC’s national policies prioritizing AI development and innovation in the PRC, and in late 2023 Ding applied for a government sponsored “talent plan” in Shanghai, PRC. The jury heard evidence pertaining to the PRC government’s establishment of talent plans to encourage individuals to come to China to contribute to the PRC’s economic and technological growth. Ding’s application for this talent plan stated that he planned to “help China to have computing power infrastructure capabilities that are on par with the international level.” The evidence at trial also showed that Ding intended to benefit two entities controlled by the government of China by assisting with the development of an AI supercomputer and collaborating on the research and development of custom machine learning chips.

Ding is next scheduled to appear at a status conference on Feb. 3, 2026. Ding faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each count of theft of trade secrets in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1832 and 15 years in prison for each count of economic espionage in violation of 18 U.S.C § 1831. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the Court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.  

Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Northern District of California Casey Boome, Molly K. Priedeman, and Roland Chang are prosecuting this case, with assistance from Veronica Hernandez and Trial Attorney Yifei Zheng from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, National Security Division.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.

Updated January 30, 2026

When it's convenient to be Black!

TBR-Leighton Bradford, Editor-in-Chief

The one thing that should irritate a righteous Black person, is someone who is Black, when it's convenient to be Black! The last election cycle was about the US dynamic between White men & Black women. Massa & the slave mistress are at odds with each other. Lock up a brother until we figure it out. Don't get me wrong, I admire a strong Nubian queen. As long as it's not about a willie lynch type of divide and conquer!

The media props up teleprompting reading vixen's, who announce the taking away of the freedoms of a Black man. Be it Uncle or Tom, the paper defines the implicit role. Demanding a supposed Black male leader reveal his soul, so as to work towards his demise? They demand you speak! So, we can figure out how to destroy your ass! Sippin on the spirits, does not vanquish the heathen! The interracial aspect is tired when it comes to Hatin on a strong Black family structure. You find love where it resides. Just because it's Black! Does not deny the implicit other! 

 Most profiled Blacks within interracial or materialistic relationships, are Black when it's convenient to be Black. Raise your son not to switch; but fight the injustices of our people! I have a philosophical or rhetorical question? How many Black female leaders have been executed as opposed to Black male leaders? Believe you me this author is as fallible as they come. When Black heterosexual men stick together, we are unstoppable! We must respect and protect God fearing righteous Black women! The European male probes the heavens, while the Black man derives abstract meaning from a sporting event & entertainment. I refuse to be a martyr for the hypocrite! There will still be taxes on Wednesday. Silence is golden when it comes to the revelation of a tired black man. A segment will rejoice, when this brother dies. And then came the critics!

AIR FORCE HISTORY: The Black Swallow of Death and the world’s first black fighter pilot

• 

   Eugene Jacques Bullard was born in 1894 in Columbus, Georgia

  
  Published Feb. 17, 2017
• By Howard E. Halvorsen
• Air Force Sustainment Center Historian

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  

America’s first black aviator did not fly for the country of his birth, America, but for his adopted country, France. Eugene Jacques Bullard was born in 1894 in Columbus, Georgia, and was the seventh of 10 children born to a black man from Martinique and a Creek Indian woman. Eugene said his father was an educated man who worked hard as a laborer but took the time to properly raise and teach his children, often in his native French, especially after Eugene’s mother tragically passed away when he was five. His father’s stories often told how in France every man is accepted as a man regardless of the color of his skin. When Eugene Bullard’s father was nearly lynched, this child of only eight years old decided to leave home and find this magical place: France.

It was 1902 and the young man wandered all over the southeastern United States doing odd jobs. At one point he displayed some skill in horseracing as a jockey and was able to put a little money away. When he was 12 years old he stowed away on a German ship bound for Scotland. After some hard times doing odd jobs, he found himself in Liverpool, England, where he was able to become a skilled boxer. Through years of lifting weights he went from bantam weight, to lightweight and eventually fought as a welterweight in both England and France. His first bout in France, boxing in Paris at the Elysee Montmartre, was Nov. 28, 1913. From the moment he first set foot in France he knew this was the place he belonged, and that first visit cemented his long-held aspiration of moving to Paris.

He ended up touring Europe with a traveling act called “Freedman’s Pickaninnies,” but he settled down in Paris and was soon employed in the world of boxing. Bullard picked up languages easily and helped set up matches for other boxers using his translating skills, in addition to his own boxing career. He finally had found his place on this Earth, making the most money he ever had in his life in a place that accepted him as a man. In fact, he found living in France “convinced me too that God really did create all men equal, and it was easy to live that way.”

Into this idyllic life, world events came crashing in. War. The Great War — what we call World War I today. Bullard was eager to serve for his adopted country, and on his 19th birthday he joined his fellow American expatriates in the French Foreign Legion, the toughest unit at that time in the world. Soon after training he was assigned to a unit that contained 54 different nationalities and fought in the toughest battles of the war. One unit with whom he served were referred to as “The Swallows of Death.” The fierce and lucky Bullard quickly became known as the “Black Swallow of Death.” The Legion often led the way which led to frightful numbers of casualties. For instance, at the Battle of Artois Ridge, Bullard’s company lost 80 percent of its strength. Later in September of the same year, 1915, 94 percent were lost in the Champagne Offensive. It was during the Battle of Verdun on March 5, 1916, that Bullard received the wounds that removed him from the ground war and subsequently awarded The Croix de Guerre and Médaille Militaire.

It was during his convalescence in Lyons that two interesting life events happened. One was his first bit of fame when he was interviewed by Will Irwin of The Saturday Evening Post. The second was the opportunity to become a flier. It was thought that Bullard’s wounds would keep him from walking again, but an American friend bet him $2,000 he could not get into aviation (he would never be able to rejoin the infantry) and become a pilot. He soon earned his wings on May 5, 1917, and collected his money. This made Bullard the first black fighter pilot in history.

He was soon assigned to the Lafayette Escadrille and was happy to find respect and friendship regardless of race and nationality. In this spirit, Corporal Eugene Bullard painted a red bleeding heart pierced by a knife on the fuselage of his Spad. Below the heart was the inscription “Tout le Sang qui coule est rouge!” Roughly translated it says “All Blood Runs Red.” His first mission was on Sept. 8, 1917, and he never missed a mission until the war ended. After the United States entered the war he took a flight physical and applied for a commission to fly for his home country, but the application was ignored. Fellow flying heroes like George Dock recalled him to be a humorous, brave, and self-reliant man and Charles Kinsolving noted that Bullard had no fear. Happily, all wars end…even this one. He decided to remain in Paris and soon married a French countess and fathered three children, though one passed soon after birth.

Normally that would be the end of the story. Yes, he opened a famous nightclub, Le Grand Duc, where Paris’ most famous entertainers would perform for the likes of Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gloria Swanson, and England’s Prince of Wales but that is not where the story ends. Once again, world events came crashing in. In 1939, war once again threatened the nation that had been so good to him. As a widowed father of three, it would have been easy for most to sit the war out. Instead, in July 1939 he joined the French Resistance. He was good with languages, including German, and was quite successful as the Germans pompously thought that no black man could properly understand their language. He even worked with the famous French spy Cleopatra Terrier and others.

However, at last German troops began to overrun Paris, so the single father of two fled with his children away from the fighting to Orleans only to find himself under fire there as well. He joined uniformed troops and quickly found himself both wounded and the only one left alive. Resistance friends doctored his wounds and smuggled him and his daughters to Spain where he was later medically evacuated to the United States. He was thrilled to finally be back home and became an elevator operator in Rockefeller Center, a position he would hold until he retired. Americans saw him every day and did not know they were in the presence of greatness. France never forgot.

In 1954, Bullard was requested to help relight the Eternal Flame of the Tomb of the Unknown French Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe. In 1959 he was named Knight of the Legion of Honor in New York City and was interviewed on the Today Show. President-General Charles de Gaulle, while in NYC, publicly embraced Bullard as a true French hero in 1960 when Bullard was 65 years old. Two years later, in 1961, Bullard lost a fight to an illness caused from the many wounds he received in wartime. Again France did forget as, with the tri-color of France draping his coffin, he was laid to rest with full honors by the Federation of French War Officers at Flushing Cemetery in New York. On Aug. 23, 1994, the USAF posthumously commissioned him a lieutenant. During his lifetime, Eugene Ballard was awarded 15 French war medals, including the Knight of the Légion d’honneur, Médaille Militaire, Croix de Guerre, Volunteer’s Cross (Croix du combatant volontaire), Wounded Insignia, World War I Commemorative Medal, World War I Victory Medal, Freedom Medal, and the World War II Commemorative Medal.

Sources include Air and Space Power Journal, Black Art Depot, “All Blood Runs Red” by Henry Scott Harris.

 

The epiphany of man

TBR-Editor-in-Chief

TBR-Leighton Bradford, Editor-in-Chief

The fundamental quest for a life free from crime and tyranny resides around becoming the apparent standard for our existence! We must sever the ties between law enforcement and organized crime.  Unless the ethnicity of man commits to countering organized crime; and the social degradation that ensues, you are signing a contract that guarantees hell.  Delving into an honest explanation, begins where an unsatiable appetite for drugs has transformed our existence. The demand for this nasty habit persists. No matter the ethnicity, we are all one. I see the shores beyond my existence and freedom abounds. 

 A hard decision goes beyond an individual intervention. We must secure our borders and give alternative options to drug producing entities! Create a treatise on narcotics. Reward eco-manufacturing and micro business to the impoverished. Negotiate GATT directives.  Increase the professional and moral cops' salaries. The police should have free lodging, healthcare and groceries. An incentive not to be tempted by illicit means. We need a national citizen review board for law enforcement. There has to be some accountability. 

Why don't my Hebrew brothers help us come to terms with the Black holocaust. Individuals of African descent are still feeling the effects. We are one. Individuals of African descent control a trillion dollars of GDP, but we still allow these "awe shucks" and jack leg preachers to dictate policy. My grandparents once told me "The last refuge for the scoundrel, is the pulpit"! To my brothers, we have to honor our women and get them out of these cowardly situations. These brothers are not going to risk the cleanliness of their tailored suits to fight or protect us from tyranny. Passing the plate is not paying someone in distress bills. Life has humbled me, one foot up, one foot down.

The oligarchs are approaching. The spheres rise from hell to place doubt on a heterosexual man's existence. There are brother's that would rather switch than fight! An epiphany of understanding lounges upon the pain caused by violence, crime, drug dealing and the ensuing ills of an apparent social degradation. The nigga with sacrilegious markings on his body and sagging pants has become the twisted standard for Black male prowess. Size does not make the man. If your removed off your square because someone ridicules you about your height, weight, finances, meditate. Know thyself. My brethren shall squash the beef. It's about a legitimate financial portfolio.

When we have a well-educated, attractive, credentialed Black woman running for the highest position in the land, rebuke the Blackman in a relationship; it's time to reassess our standing as Blackmen. We can't except the hustle "MY NIGGA"! Pushing weight or the street distinction of a chemist detracts from the Black family structure! Lord have mercy, the "dreamed deferred" of individuals of African descent. Our culture has had the patience of Job. A Black man's patience should be worn thin with our existence.

 

Introducing "Soul Solace"

Thank you from Mr. Bradford 

TBR-Leighton Bradford, Editor-in-Chief 

 http://soulsolace6463.wordpress.com/2010/12/28/soul-solace-by-leighton-bradford-excerpt-from-book/

Nima will now be introduced; Malik’s lady, cute, and loves her some Malik. Malik and Nima are engaged to be married. Nima is terribly funny, the life of the party; W.T. likes Nima listen, “Malik is that my button, ask her where her mama is?” He also likes her fine as wine mother, Black women are like wine, and the older they get the more robust da flava? A mystery that adjust to her abrupt surrounding. Nima is sassy, yet delicate as the soft petal of a flower. Her purpose remains ahead no doubt, her obstacles a few behind. Ever present faith, not a shame to confess her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


Malik and Nima are the quote, unquote salt of the earth. Both were raised down south; mostly collard greens and ribs, and a whole lot of love. Nima, Nima go ahead with ya bad self; moreover, the host of men track her essence, that sistah you dream of, too good to be true, so similar to mama. A distinct persona, with the ability to change the hearts of men. Said memory stays a little while, it lounges, it rests just so. Brother down the street likes what he envisions. Nima is no different in many regards, than say Sage or Mandee; you just have to be there to understand! Malik, my man is playing Anita Baker, her melody plays like a distant memory. He has love on his mind, as the music prepares your soul for deliverance.

As the chords play out ever so softly, life is contemplated, his place in it, and the girl of your dreams. Heaven has paid us a visit, so it seems. Every time you think of that thing that keeps you tossing and turning at night; restless is the desire, restless. Malik sits down and writes Nima a poem:

Singular purpose and my mind glides around your thoughts.

Speak tenderness, perpetual love thang no doubt.

There are no boundaries for our midst.

So the visual aspects of flesh adhering to one another.

Clean lines struck to silence, because my love it’s all about you.

Wasted motions; presumed humanity, waning act of unadulterated caress.

I may vibe female menagerie, caught up in the movement, on the secondhand analogy, to the sheer vision that lies before me. Placement of my hand towards the small of her back, til’ round midnight I will let go.

Because my love it’s all about you

Hope to change the world with what God reveals to my soul. I just can’t take it anymore. The depths of misery known to all brothers’ whom and have loved. Don’t let her know tho, she will have you in the palm of her hand. Then she said, “Hear me Blackman it’s all about you.”

Tight curves on an anatomy that is heavily endowed. Clandestine touch reaching on the fringe of a pause. A slowing effect on a couples overall surreal occupation. Rhythm and sounds alleviates the refrain. Formulated continuum for us to enjoy. Elevated mind; because obviously its love!


All Rights Reserved Intellectual Property Of Leighton Bradford (BE

And then came the crisis

TBR-Op-Ed Leighton Bradford, Editor-in-Chief 

[Previously written article posted by request. 2011v2]

Regardless of the medium of operation or the manner by which its observed; Americans are within their deepest despair! The economic situation is so difficult for the multitude of our country's citizens, it must be compared to the depression of the 1930's. The current economic crisis is just as insidious as any terror plot. The lack of jobs and opportunity, become a direct attack on our national security. It seems helping veterans is not En vogue as well?

These returning heroes are not receiving the respect they ultimately deserve. Why is homelessness, un-employment and suicide so rampant within this segment of our society? The epic struggles of President Obama's administration; mirrors President Franklin D. Roosevelt's battle, with the Great Depression and WWII! Where is the paper? A common questioned asked by many. The criticism of the President from Dr. Cornel West and Tavis Smiley intrigues me? I mean we are a democracy, your take on things is allowed. Man! Well educated men not offering any solutions, interesting. If they were President, what would they do?

President Lincoln had the intestinal fortitude and will, keeping our nation together. President Obama has the guts to defy the conventional wisdom of critics; moreover, an attempt to create the groundwork and the opportunity to chase the American dream. How similar are the leadership styles between FDR and President Obama? A war being wage on several fronts, along with economic stagnation, coincide with FDR and the countries historically systemic problems. If Bernanke and Geithner can't inject capital relief, what is the use of their services? President Obama needs a new deal of our era. The stock market is fundamentally a house of wares or concentrated mercantilism. It should not have such an influence on our economy. Maybe legislation should be passed requiring diversity within the various financial markets. If one takes a hit; the blow would be diffused, by the other entities. A sort of Sherman Act of Financial Markets. Warren Buffet told talk show host Charlie Rose housing upstart's or construction, maybe the central catalyst, within a recovering economy?

Newt Gingrich opposed almost everything Clinton tried to accomplish. President William Jefferson Clinton still reigned in the deficit and created a surplus! President Clinton had a somewhat willing Gingrich, and bi-partisan support, achieving this goal. How do we get there economically? Small business, trade reform, managing the relationship with the EU and the middle class, will save our economy. The average working American needs help! Interest rates will spike, bringing the pain to an already troubled housing market. The ever-widening gap between the haves and have nots will expand.

The subtle extinction of the middle class and the affluent working class is tantamount to a present-day feudalism! Conservatives are urging their corporate captains, to take measures that will make the president look bad. The bailout worked! President Obama's administration saved capitalism! Lenin and Marx haunt the corridors of the Federal Reserve, enticing the proletariat and hemming up the bourgeoisie. History will place President Obama among the elite presidents. Put him on Mt. Rushmore! What else is there to do? (TBR)

**************************
The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release August 10, 2011 Readout of the President's Meeting with Chairman Bernanke

The President and Chairman Bernanke met today in the Oval Office to discuss the economy and global recovery. They were joined by Secretary Geithner, Chief of Staff Daley and NEC Director Sperling. The President and the Chairman discussed the outlook for the recovery and for jobs as well as fiscal issues, including the need to tackle long-term deficit reduction. They also discussed the situation in Europe. This was the third time the President met with the Chairman this year.
[Intellectual property of White House--Press release] TBR

The Mountain Top

TBR-Editor-in-Chief Leighton Bradford

Our country is being ravaged by the inherent biasedness and inequalities of our fundamental existence. The social media generation uses technology to counter the effects of social upheaval. The police killings of Blacks created a social upheaval. Not to mention coming of age during the economic crisis.  Let's not forget to mention Covid-19. There is going to be a PAX AMERICANA, unless we counter the assault on heterosexual relationships. The Obama/Biden administration spent too much time on non-heterosexual issues and not issues significant to individuals of African descent! I applaud their saving of our democracy. The aforementioned generation has to win. Some of them have the patience of Job. I try not to be so hard on my kids or aka millennials or Generation Zer's! I was blown away by their exorcism of the digital divide. They took it to the streets!  My God! This generation has been hit with an epic, global continental crisis.  

 

A number of small, digital, flexible businesses have emerged. They took a negative financial situation and turned it into a nimble adapting business model. The world erupted--after the police shootings of specified individuals of African descent and the rest of America.  I have nothing but respect and admiration for the aforementioned group. They understand white supremacists are trying to quail the Black Messiah! Any spiritual messenger loves all of humanity. 

 Individuals of African descent have a God given and constitutional right to defend themselves. I ask assuredly where are our fundamental leaders? Let's reach out to Brazil, the Carribean, and Africa. We need to understand the effects of the African Diaspora! 

The epic war in Ukraine transcends ethnicity. Their struggle mirrors the fundamental struggle for Black self-determination.  God bless Ukraine!  I respect and admire my fellow European Americans who respect me. TheBradfordReview argued the need to include them within the EU/NATO years ago!  Supremacists are using alternative lifestyle choices to undermine Black prosperity! Black women need to challenge their fundamental power. Black women are the backbone of our race! It's about how you physically came into this world. 

 What is the tactical and strategic plan for reparations, and a respected existence? And then came the movement.  Individuals of African Descent within the USA, need to report criminal activity.  Just because you speak Spanish as an individual of African descent does not mean you are Spanish/European. The U.S. census creates a demographic subterfuge as it relates to the coming together of Indvidual's of African descent. The US should not allow this to become a calculated effort to divide and conquer. Demand reparations for the historical effects of slavery! Similar to my beloved individuals of Hebrew descent. Black people need to explore and open a dialogue with Mali/Kemet/Egypt. Mali/Kemet/Egypt is our homeland or heritage! Egypt, Mali, South Africa, Nigeria and Timbuktu are worth striving for similar to Israel. Africans need to embrace one initiative that President Nelson Mandela sacrificed his freedom for! This initiative revolves around individuals of African Descent unifying and staving off the horrific effects, of the African Diasporic slave trade. 

This generation of individuals of African descent need to secure NUCLEAR POWER! Nuclear power plants, technologies, and renewable energies that promote a healthy ecology.  Individuals of African descent need to adopt cyber control of our interest. Black people need to control their own means of production. Individuals of African descent need to come together and put our differences aside and adopt a Pan-African Tribunal and liaison to the United Nations. Defend our Black leaders with a social contract, identifying points of contention. We need to argue the sound construct of reparations!    

United Nations Letter of Concern

 To:        United Nations Association (Canada)

               309 Cooper Street Suite 300

               Ottawa, ON K2P0G5

From:    Leighton Bradford

Within my analysis and observation of ensuing injustices against humanity; I plead with this international body, to help my people free ourselves from the disproportional high rate of incarceration of Black men, within the United States and its borders. It is no coincidence that within the United States, several constitutional violations have occurred involving under-representation, Habeas Corpus infractions, 9th Amendment violations surrounding excessive fines and bails, cruel and unusual punishment, the denial of procedural due process, etc...

Peace becomes the sanctioned love of anyone who deplores violence. The constitution becomes an ever-eroding piece of parchment, if the basic human rights of Black men are not acknowledged. Privatized prisons warehouse Black Souls, as if an individual should become a lucrative venture, traded as though it were cotton, on a given Stock Exchange. My spirituality professes the mutual respect and admiration of at least a decent human being, Irregardless of race, creed, economic standing, and previous condition of servitude. 

Oppression becomes camouflage by the certain niceties of modern living. Dear heavenly Father, I humble my soul so as to accept the blessings that true freedom allows. The aforementioned passages express the hope I have for humanity, and this entity's ability to provide a means of conflict resolution. Freedom is a natural right of every human being residing on this earth. It becomes the responsibility of the gifted and strong to commit to this purposeful ideal. I am offering my God given abilities to save my people from the effects of tactical genocide. A moratorium on race and suffering within the United States must begin with the cease and desist of privatized prisons and the creation of a legal defense fund for the down-trodden, oppressed and abused. Young Black men have a right to exist with all of the rights afforded any human being.

The racial profiling of Black men must come to an end. Violence serves no purpose to an individual who respects self. I would be so apt as to placing this issue within the global framework, of crimes against humanity.

Respectfully,

Leighton Bradford

Leighton Bradford contribution to UPSCALE magazine

                                                     

                                                       

Editor: Leighton Bradford, Article Houston LaVida News

TBR - Leighton Bradford, Editor-in-Chief - originally published Houston/La Vida News

Popular culture is ever so reluctant to let Tupac Shakur go despite the death of the entertainer a short time ago. Is there any correlation between his death and the working towards the demise of other leaders? Are Black male leaders being purged from American society, making way for an ideal or premise that coincides with white supremacy?

 During the time of Jesus, a ruler by the name of Herod engaged in what was described as infanticide of male hebrews. Ron Brown (Fmr. Secretary of Commerce), Tupac Shakur, Mickey Leland, El Hajj Malik Shabazz, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Marcus Garvey and Huey Newton are a number of Black men silenced for whatever reason.

What will this become, yet another conspiracy theory? Or will society come to grips with this disturbing trend? Another variable within this equation revolves around the high incarceration and death rate of Black men. How can a scholar or African leader live with the destruction of hope? There also remains the short list of Black men hemmed up over trumped up charges and imprisoned because of it. If only we could see into the past, maybe the future. What would we do? Maybe adjust flaws of character, and bring back Moses? Are any of these acts or actions related? What measures will some take to keep power out of the hands of Africans? Geo-political destabilization of Africa and America may benefit a white supremacist ideal; our old friend divide and conquer rears its ugly head. The aforementioned issues suggest fault--I ask candidly, who is to blame? There is a belief that certain elements within American society are administering policies which seek to destroy or destabilize the American Black male.

Young Blackmen are not being nurtured to hold power. So similar are the tactics of Herod, attuned with the shadowy enemy of a would-be messiah. Is there a direct correlation between a male leader of African descent, and an effort to work towards his demise? In college, some taught the varying aspects of logic, be it deductive  or inductive. Why not borrow from this concept, and begin to look further in what has been suggested. Maybe it's a coincidence that so many Black male leaders have been assualted. W.E. B. Dubois spent his mature years in Accra, Ghana. Dubois may have washed his hands of society's treatment of individuals of African descent. Hopefuly life for young Black men can be productive and prosperous so long as King Herod doesn't get a hold of them. Our current leaders have yet to devise a plan which embraces the young Black male, in an apprentice like posture, preparing them for leadership. So many questions, so few answers--our faith shall respond to all.