synagogue

Another wife of Manchester synagogue terrorist says attacker ‘raped her’ & lied about being married with child – The Sun

ANOTHER wife of the Manchester synagogue terrorist said the attacker “raped” her and lied about being married with a child.

The woman, whose identity is being protected, told how Jihad Al-Shamie abused her mentally and sexually after they first met on Muslim dating app Muzz.

A man, identified as Faraj Al-Shamie, holding his grandson.

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University drop-out Jihad al-Shamie led a tangled love lifeCredit: Facebook
A man with a beard stands behind metal security gates, believed to be the possible Manchester Synagogue attacker.

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The 35-year-old was on police bail accused of rape when he carried out the car and knife terror attack in Manchester on Thursday
Forensic teams investigate a stabbing incident in Manchester, England.

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Forensic teams at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogueCredit: AP

She had converted to Islam in 2012, ten years before meeting Al-Shamie.

The woman became trapped in a volatile cycle in which he would flip between being “vile” and then “nice” to draw her back in to their on-and-off relationship.

Eventually, Al-Shamie told the woman he was married and had a son, but confessed to keeping them secret.

In text messages seen by the M.E.N, he wrote: “I didn’t tell u because I really like you and wanted u to be my 2nd wife.”

But Al-Shamie told her men can have four wives in Islamic culture and that his first wife “accepts” it.

Within a month of entering into a relationship with him, the pair married in January 2022.

The woman said their Islamic ceremony took place over a video call because of Covid restrictions.

But the marriage was soon filled with coercive and controlling behaviour.

She claimed Al-Shamie raped her, but she did not report it to police.

The attacker’s abuse is laid out in Facebook messages between the couple.

Chilling moment terrorist’s car hurtles towards synagogue before ploughing into crowd

He tells her: “Good luck getting any guy to deal with your rubbish.”

And: “You’re not worth it and I can do better – don’t need someone with your baggage and mental issues.”

To try and win her back, Al-Shamie would promise grand gestures, such as buying a property close to where she lived, although these never came into fruition.

The woman told M.E.N she thought she loved him at the beginning of their partnership.

Two armed forces members in camouflage uniforms next to a bomb disposal robot.

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Members of the Armed force prepare a bomb disposal robot inside a cordon outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogueCredit: AFP
Melvin Cravitz posing for a photograph.

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Melvin Cravitz, 66, was killed in the attackCredit: Reuters
Adrian Daulby smiling and wearing a blue Russell Athletic t-shirt.

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Tributes have also been paid to 53-year-old Adrian Daulby who died in the horrorCredit: Greater Manchester Police

“He was caring and understanding and didn’t judge my kids for their needs,” she said.

“He would say ‘I love you, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that’. He was controlling and abusive.

“He did rape me multiple times, but to us we just fulfil what our husband’s say.

“He was one of them where you have got to do it there and then.”

Domestic abuse – how to get help

DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone – including men – and does not always involve physical violence.

Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship:

  • Emotional abuse – Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse – gaslighting – being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to
  • Threats and intimidation – Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you
  • Physical abuse – This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten.
  • Sexual abuse – Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent.

If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers:

Remember, you are not alone.

1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime.

Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.

She categorized their relationship as “his way or no way” and described him as constantly being “pushy” – telling her wives had to “obey” their husbands.

The Sun previously reported how Al-Shamie was a teenage drop-out who smoked weed and was obsessed with violent video games.

A former friend told The Sun on Sunday that killer Al-Shamie would smoke around 2g of strong skunk a day when he was a teen and frequently felt the wrath of his parents.

His obsession led him to dropping out of Liverpool John Moores University a year into his English, media and cultural studies degree course in 2011.

Meanwhile neighbours said he would spend his time lifting weights in his garage or wander around in his pyjamas and flip flops.

The woman also reflected this portrayal in her tales of Al-Shamie, who she claimed was always “between jobs” and “living with his parents”.

After their relationship ended, the last time Al-Shamie contacted her was April earlier this year, but she ignored him.

The woman also recalled her horror when she discovered he had committed the Manchester synagogue terror attack.

“My first thought was just ‘why’. He would never preach anything. The only thing he would do was pray,” she said.

“He never showed me, or said anything about, terrorism, or joining anything. It was all about the mosque and praying.”

This comes as another wife of Al-Shamie also came forward with her story after meeting him on the same Muslim dating app.

Born in Syria, Al-Shamie was granted British citizenship in 2006 when he was around 16, having entered the UK as a young child.

The 35-year-old was on police bail accused of rape when he carried out the car and knife terror attack in Manchester on October 2.

He claimed to be a devout father but cheated on his wife and married a second woman days after meeting her, The Telegraph reported.

The newspaper said that he met a young woman from Manchester after the Covid lockdown.

It’s believed that he moved in with the woman and her family in May 2022 and they married in an Islamic ceremony.

But he was unfaithful and used a dating app to meet several other women.

Al-Shamie’s first marriage reportedly fell apart six months ago after he married a second woman – but it is not known if this was legal.

Elizabeth Davis, 46, is said to have married the killer in secret and only told her family about him only after the synagogue attack.

A source told The Sun on Sunday: “Liz converted to Islam four years ago.

“Her conversion caused tensions with her family, they say she became a totally different person after that.

“She stopped communicating with relatives and friends.

“It was like she had been brainwashed.

“The family only found out that she had got married to Al-Shamie after the synagogue attack on Thursday.

A bomb disposal technician works by the body of a man believed to be the attacker, following an incident where a car was driven at pedestrians and a stabbing attack outside a synagogue.

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Al-Shamie was shot dead by cops after seven-minutesCredit: Reuters
Armed police officers and emergency personnel at the scene of an attack in north Manchester.

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Armed police officers at the scene of the attackCredit: Reuters
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria Starmer visit the site of the Manchester synagogue attack.

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria Starmer visited the siteCredit: Reuters

“The family are horrified that she has been involved with someone like that.

“It’s possible she got married to him in an Islamic law ceremony.”

Another woman said she was just 18 when she dated Al-Shamie, who she said lied to her about his age.

He told her he was in his mid-twenties and reportedly encouraged her to watch “extreme videos”.

During their four-month relationship, she said he hit her and ordered her to dress more conservatively.

She even said he referenced possibly wanting to join the Islamic State.

She said he stalked her and told her about his rape fantasises.

The Times reported that Al-Shamie used fake name on his dating app accounts but kept getting banned because of his “speech and what he was sending”.

Elizabeth Davis, wife of Manchester terrorist Jihad Al Shamie.

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Elizabeth Davis is said to have married the killer in secret and only told her family about him only after the synagogue attackCredit: Facebook
Elizabeth Davis, wife of Manchester terrorist Jihad Al Shamie.

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Friends of the 46-year-old said is was like she’d been ‘brainwashed’ by Al-ShamieCredit: Facebook

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Footage appears to show synagogue attacker minutes before killing

New footage appears to show the man responsible for an attack at a Manchester synagogue, minutes before he drove his car into worshippers on Yom Kippur.

Two people were killed, when Jihad Al-Shamie carried out, what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have described as a terror attack in Crumpsall on Thursday.

Footage of a street nearby marked 09:22 BST appears to show a man matching the description by witnesses of the attacker, walking back after an earlier confrontation at the synagogue where he was told to leave.

The doorbell camera then shows a black Kia Picanto, matching the car driven by Al-Shamie, heading back towards the synagogue at 09:26 BST. GMP were called to the scene at 09:31.

The black Kia Picanto also matches the car driven through the gates at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue and at worshippers.

As with the car used in the attack, the back right hub cab can be seen missing from the vehicle in the footage.

Two Jewish men Melvin Cravitz, 53, and Adrian Daulby, 66, died in the attack, the latter believed to have been hit by police gunfire as firearms officers shot Al-Shamie.

Three people remain in hospital, while police have detained four people on suspicion of terror offences.

On Sunday, counter terror police were granted more time to hold them in custody, while inquiries are under way to establish “the full picture” into what was happened, a spokesman for Counter Terrorism Policing North West said.

Two other people, a man and a woman, were released without charge after they were arrested on the day of the attack.

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Manchester synagogue terrorist Jihad al-Shamie ‘made ex-partner watch extreme ISIS videos & wanted to join terror group’ – The Sun

AN EX-girlfriend of the Manchester synagogue attacker was forced to watch Isis terror videos, she has claimed.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, unleashed terror outside Manchester’s Heaton Park synagogue on Thursday, leaving two dead and three more in hospital.

A man with a beard stands behind metal security gates, believed to be the possible Manchester Synagogue attacker.

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A former friend of Al-Shamie also revealed he was teenage drop-out who smoked weed
A man in a patterned cap holds a baby whose face is pixelated.

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Jihad Al-Shamie would make his ex-girlfriend watch extremist videos, it’s been claimedCredit: Facebook
A bomb disposal technician works by the body of a man believed to be the attacker, following an incident where a car was driven at pedestrians and a stabbing attack outside a synagogue.

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Al-Shamie was shot dead after the attack on the synagogueCredit: Reuters

The seven-minute knife rampage took place on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar – Yom Kippur – with the killer then shot dead by cops.

A former partner has now claimed she was groomed by Al-Shamie and forced into a “controlling relationship”.

The pair, who met on a Muslim dating app, were in a relationship for four months before she left him over his extremist views, and moved from the UK.

She claimed Al-Shamie told her he wanted to join Isis and also pressured her to become “dedicated to the cause”.

She said: “He used to sit there and make me watch videos – like extreme videos – that I had no interest in.

“I am Muslim and of course I love to learn more. But this stuff was things that I have been raised to not agree with.

“He used to always say I was taught the wrong way and I wasn’t taught right. He was basically just trying to groom me into what he thought.”

Meanwhile, as reported by The Mail on Sunday, it has been revealed one of the women arrested by cops over the synagogue attack was an NHS Mental health peer support worker.

The 46-year-old is a white British woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, and neighbours claimed she had recently converted to Islam.

“I was doing such a course, and she told me she was a peer support worker herself,” said one local.

Police make arrests as pro-Palestine ‘hate marches’ go ahead and protesters gather despite fury after synagogue attack

“She said she travelled to Manchester for her shifts at a hospital.”

Al-Shamie is also believed to have been married to a British Pakistani woman in Manchester.

It is understood they share a two-year-old child, but are no longer in a relationship.

A former friend of Al-Shamie also revealed he was teenage drop-out who smoked weed and was obsessed with violent video game Street Fighter.

Melvin Cravitz in a headshot with a blue yarmulke and glasses.

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Melvin Cravitz, 66, was killed in the attack
Members of a forensic team work outside the Manchester synagogue, where multiple people were killed on Yom Kippur in what police have declared a terrorist incident, in north Manchester, Britain.

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Forensic officers at the sceneCredit: Reuters
A forensic team member in a white suit works on the ground at a crime scene while two police officers in high-visibility jackets stand nearby, all under falling rain.

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Al-Shamie was not known counter-terrorism agencies but had previous convictionsCredit: Reuters

The friend told The Sun on Sunday that killer Al-Shamie would smoke around 2g of strong skunk a day when he was a teen and frequently felt the wrath of his parents.

And he said he spent hours in his bedroom playing the computer game using the name “Jiji”.

His obsession led to Al-Shamie dropping out of Liverpool John Moores University a year into his English, media and cultural studies degree course in 2011.

The former pal said: “He was a bit of a rebellious wild child. He got into a lot of trouble with his parents. He used to smoke cannabis from an early age.

“He would spend a lot of time practising Street Fighter, like obsessively practising this computer game. He was very good at it, to the point where he competed a couple of times in competitions.”

The source added: “It was probably why he dropped out of uni.

“He was spending too much time smoking weed, working out and playing video games.”

He added: “His personality type, he would latch on to one thing and get buried deep into it. The only thing I can think of is that he’s done that but with radical religion.”

Al-Shamie, whose name is said to translate as “struggle of the Syrian” became “reclusive” after dropping out of education and started to practice Islam around 2018.

Neighbours said he would spend his time lifting weights in his garage or wander around in his pyjamas and flip flops.

The pal, who lost touch with him, said: “I heard he became a bit reclusive and appeared to be very into his faith, which surprised me as he was never that kind of guy.

“There were some concerns about his mental health. I don’t know if he ever got professional help.”

He said he was worried Al-Shamie would go down a “rabbit hole”, adding: “He had an addictive personality. My suspicion is that he ended up self-radicalising.”

Armed police officers at the scene near the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, where two people died in a suspected terror attack.

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Armed police officers near the synagogue on ThursdayCredit: PA
Military personnel prepare a bomb disposal robot inside a police cordon at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue.

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Members of the Armed Forces and a bomb squad were called the the sceneCredit: AFP
Police officers stand guard at the cordon outside the Manchester synagogue where a terrorist incident occurred.

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Six people have now been arrested on terror charges following the chaosCredit: Reuters

Al-Shamie moved to the UK from Syria with his family when he was a young child and was granted British citizenship in 2006.

His father Faraj is a trauma doctor who later divorced his mother Formoz and moved to France.

This comes as four people arrested in connection with the synagogue terror attack will remain in custody for extra questioning.

Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, were killed in the rampage before Al-Shamie was shot dead by armed cops.

Six people have now been arrested on terror charges following the chaos.

Cops confirmed they have been granted custody extensions to hold four people detained in connection with the attack on the Crumpsall synagogue for a longer amount of time.

Two men, aged 30 and 32, as well as a 61-year-old woman arrested in Farnworth will remain in custody for “up to a further five days”.

The force added how an 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man, also arrested in Farnworth, remain in custody for questioning.

Greater Manchester Police said: “We have been granted warrants of further detention for four individuals currently in custody.

“This means they can remain in custody for up to a further five days.

“Everyone in custody has been arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.”

Everyone in custody has been arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

Al-Shamie first drove into worshippers at the Heaton Park synagogue at 9.30am on Thursday morning.

He also stabbed terrified members of the public while wearing a fake “bomb vest” – killing Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53.

Four others were injured in the horror.

Counter-terrorism officers have since revealed the attacker was likely influenced by “extreme Islamist ideology”.

A statement from Greater Manchester Police read: “We believe Al-Shamie may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology.

“Establishing the full circumstances of the attack is likely to take some time.  

“We have now arrested three further people, one man and two women, aged between 18 and mid-40s.

“This brings the number of people in custody arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism to six.”

Al-Shamie was not known counter-terrorism agencies but had previous convictions.

It is not known when the alleged rape took place but the attacker was under investigation by Greater Manchester Police at the time.

GMP confirmed to The Sun Online al-Shamie was arrested but had been released pending investigation.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood at Great Manchester Police headquarters.

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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood during a visit to meet emergency responders at Great Manchester Police headquartersCredit: PA
Two people leaving flowers in tribute after an attack on a synagogue in Manchester, England.

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The local community have been laying tributes at the sceneCredit: Getty
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Lady Victoria Starmer walk with police officers during a visit to the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue.

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The PM and Lady Victoria Starmer walk with police officers during a visit to the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue after the horrorCredit: PA

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Synagogue terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie secretly ‘married’ NHS nurse who converted to Islam

KILLER Jihad Al-Shamie secretly “married” an NHS nurse who converted to Islam, a source said.

Elizabeth Davis, 35, is said to have told her family about him only after the synagogue attack.

A man, identified as Faraj Al-Shamie, holding his grandson.

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Killer Jihad Al-Shamie secretly ‘married’ an NHS nurseCredit: Facebook
Elizabeth Davis, wife of Manchester terrorist Jihad Al Shamie, poses for a photo.

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Elizabeth Davis is said to have converted to Islam four years agoCredit: Facebook

Al-Shamie’s first marriage reportedly fell apart six months ago.

The Sun on Sunday cannot confirm if mum-of-five Elizabeth, of Bolton, was legally his second wife.

A source said: “Liz converted to Islam four years ago.

“Her conversion caused tensions with her family, they say she became a totally different person after that.

Read more on synagogue attack

“She stopped communicating with relatives and friends.

“It was like she had been brainwashed.

“The family only found out that she had got married to Al-Shamie after the synagogue attack on Thursday.

“The family are horrified that she has been involved with someone like that.

“It’s possible she got married to him in an Islamic law ceremony.”

Al-Shamie was on bail after being arrested on suspicion of rape and was due to appear in court.

Synagogue terror attack victim suffered gunshot wound when armed cops took down knifeman during rampage

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Pro-Palestine ‘hate marches’ go ahead as protesters gather in London & Manchester despite fury after synagogue attack

PRO-PALESTINE marches have gone ahead today with protesters gathering in London and Manchester.

The demonstrations are taking place despite calls from Sir Keir Starmer and police to cancel the events following the terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday.

UNITED KINGDOM, London. 04 October 2025. .Activists from Defend Our Juries dropped a banner from Westminster Bridge reading “I Oppose Genocide. I Support Palestine Action” as part of a coordinated protest action. Credit: Andrea Domeniconi / Story Picture Agency

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Activists from Defend Our Juries dropped a banner from Westminster Bridge
Keir Starmer at a podium with two Union Jack flags in the background.

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Sir Keir Starmer earlier called on the protesters to ‘show respect’ to the Jewish communityCredit: PA
Protesters hold signs, during a mass demonstration organised by Defend our Juries, against the British government's ban on Palestine Action, at Trafalgar Square in London, Britain, October 4, 2025. REUTERS/Toby Melville

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Protesters hold signs, during a mass demonstration at Trafalgar Square

Dozens of police officers have been seen lined up next to Nelson’s Column in central London ahead of the arrival of hundreds of protesters supporting banned group Palestine Action.

Just after 1pm, protesters from the group Defend our Juries arrived in Trafalgar Square began clapping before sitting down.

They chanted “free, free Palestine” and some began writing “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”, while others held pre-written signs.

A woman in blue scrubs stood in the crowds with a sign reading “nurse against genocide”.

Several campaigners from the Stop the War coalition are already in Trafalgar Square, holding placards and Palestine flags.

The Metropolitan Police said it had arrested six people over the banner draped on Westminster Bridge in support of banned group Palestine Action.

The force said: “Officers were quickly on scene, the banner had been removed and the six people involved have been arrested for supporting a proscribed organisation.”

Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian supporters grew to around 100 before speeches began outside Manchester Cathedral.

Scotland Yard chief Sir Mark Rowley had asked for protests to be postponed due to the drain on resources while extra officers are stationed at synagogues.

He also warned the rallies “will likely create further tensions and some might say lacks sensitivity” in the wake of the attack.

It comes after pro-Palestine protesters took to the streets just hours after Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, were murdered by Jihad Al-Shamie.

The pair were brutally killed by the 35-year-old jihadist during Yom Kippur –  the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Speaking at yesterday’s Manchester synagogue vigil, locals turned on ministers, yelling “you have blood on your hands”.

Furious mourners slammed the Government for not doing enough to stop the “hate marches”, which are still set to go ahead.

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Premier League: Man United & Man City to pay tribute to synagogue attack victims

Manchester United and Manchester City will pay tribute to the victims of the Manchester synagogue attack before their Premier League fixtures this weekend.

But tributes will not be routinely held across the Premier League or English Football League over Thursday’s incident in which two people died and three others were injured.

United players will wear black armbands and hold a minute’s silence before their match against Sunderland at Old Trafford on Saturday, while the women’s team will do the same at their Women’s Super League match against Chelsea on Friday night.

Speaking at his news conference on Friday, United men’s manager Ruben Amorim said: “It is a crazy world we are living in at the moment, lot of big things happened, sympathy to victims, we will pay tribute tomorrow.”

United’s under-18 and under-21 sides will also wear black armbands in their games.

City will also wear black armbands when they travel to Brentford on Sunday and have agreed with the Bees to hold a moment’s silence before kick-off.

A commemoration was already planned by Brentford in memory of their head of academy goalkeeping Christopher Ramsey, who died on Wednesday of bowel cancer.

Brentford have agreed to change the tribute from a minute’s applause to silence given the gravity of Thursday’s attack.

Manchester City women will also pay their respects before their WSL match against Arsenal on Saturday.

It is understood both the Premier League and EFL will support any club wishing to pay tribute.

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Who was the Manchester synagogue attacker?

Jonny Humphries, Tom Mullen & Lauren HirstNorth West

Facebook A selfie of a man who is sitting down in a hospital. He is looking directly at the camera. He is wearing a beige polo shirt and wearing a black and is wearing what appears to be a white knitted kufi hat. Facebook

Jihad Al-Shamie rarely spoke to his neighbours, one resident said

The picture is still slowly building surrounding the life of Jihad Al-Shamie but he is known to have been a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent.

Al-Shamie is understood to have entered the UK as a young child and was granted British citizenship in 2006 when he was around the age of 16.

He lived in Prestwich, Manchester, and his family today released a statement saying: “We fully distance ourselves from this attack and express our deep shock and sorrow over what has happened.

“Our hearts and thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we pray for their strength and comfort.”

People in Prestwich told the BBC Al-Shamie was a weightlifting enthusiast who rarely spoke to his neighbours.

They said he would sometimes dress into western clothes and other times “traditional” Syrian dress.

What has his family said?

On behalf of the Al-Shamie family in the UK and abroad, his father Faraj Al-Shamie said: “The news from Manchester regarding the terrorist attack targeting a Jewish synagogue has been a profound shock to us.

“The Al-Shamie family in the UK and abroad strongly condemns this heinous act, which targeted peaceful, innocent civilians.

“We fully distance ourselves from this attack and express our deep shock and sorrow over what has happened. Our hearts and thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we pray for their strength and comfort.

“We kindly request that all media outlets respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time and refrain from using this tragic event in any context that does not reflect the truth.

“May God have mercy on the innocent victims, and we pray for the swift recovery of the injured.”

EPA A framed Star of David with a bee, the symbol of Manchester, is left at the scene of a deadly terror attack in Manchester. Bunches of lowers have also been left on either side of the picture. EPA

Tributes have been left near the scene of the attack

What did neighbours say?

Geoff Haliwell lives near a house in Langley Crescent, Prestwich, that is believed to be the Al-Shamie family home. It was raided by police officers on Thursday.

Mr Haliwell, 72, said the property used to be on his window-cleaning round and he knew the wider family “a little”, saying they were “really nice people”.

“I was astonished, I was shocked,” he said, adding that he believed the Al-Shamies moved to the street about 15 years ago.

He said the father had lived there for five or six years but then left the home, later visiting in a car with French number plates.

He said Jihad Al-Shamie would sometimes wear western clothes and other times traditional Syrian dress. He also said Al-Shamie would use benches to work out.

He added: “I would see him at least once or twice a week, we just said ‘hello’.

“I didn’t even know his name.

“He was just a straightforward, ordinary lad, nothing would stand out to make you think he was.”

Another neighbour remembered a baby also living at the address but could not recall seeing a woman living there.

She said: “We used to see him out in the garden working out, doing weights, press ups.

“He used to change his clothes.

“One day he would be wearing the full gown, to the floor and the next jeans and pyjama bottoms.”

PA Media Three forensic officers wearing white overalls and masks remain at the scene near Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue. A tent has been erected and a police cordon is in placePA Media

Forensic officers working at the scene near Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue

Another resident told the Daily Telegraph: “I recognised him from the pictures of the attacker. I recognised his little car, the Kia, because he’d always park it badly outside ours.

“I’d see him walking around in his pyjamas and slip-on sandals, carrying a shopping bag.

“He was quite bulked-up and used to keep his exercise weights in his garage. I’d see them there.”

“He never seemed to speak to anyone around here,” they added.

Was he known to authorities?

Al-Shamie’s name has not appeared in initial searches of police and security service counter-terrorism records, and he is not thought to have been under current investigation.

Further checks are under way to see if he appears anywhere in records of other investigations.

There are reports Al-Shamie used to work as a tutor teaching English and computer programming and his father is a surgeon.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was “surprised” by the attacker’s name.

Speaking on LBC, Ms Mahmood was asked about the attacker’s name, Jihad Al-Shamie, which presenter Nick Ferrari translated as “struggle of the Syrian”.

She said: “I was very surprised to discover that name myself.

“Actually, as a Muslim, I’ve never heard someone being called Jihad, but it is the name that he was born with – that has always been his name.”

Additionally, the Syrian British Consortium, Rethink Rebuild Society and Syria Solidarity Campaign released a joint statement.

They said: “At this stage, no-one within our Syrian community networks – neither within or beyond Manchester – has been able to identify the individual involved in this attack or confirm knowing him personally.”

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How synagogue terror attacker’s atrocity unfolded in just 7 minutes after rampage left 2 dead and 4 injured – The Sun

THE devastating terror attack at a Manchester synagogue yesterday unfolded in just seven minutes, with the rampage leaving two dead and four injured.

Early yesterday morning, on Yom Kippur, prayers began at Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Illustration of a map detailing the 7 minutes of terror incident, showing police response, attacker being shot, and arrests.

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Armed police officer at the scene of an incident at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue.

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Armed police officers at the scene of an incidentCredit: PA
Emergency services personnel, including Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, at an incident scene with an ambulance in the background.

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Two people were killed and four remain in serious condition in hospitalCredit: PA

But the peace was shattered at 9.30am, when the sound of screeching tyres came down the road.

The holy day quickly became one of horror that saw two people – Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitzwas, 66, – tragically killed.

Attacker scouted area before crashing into the gates

Ten minutes before the attack, former Tory minister Grant Shapps‘ father-in-law came “face-to-face” with the terrorist.

The man had scouted the location and argued with security when they would not allow him into the grounds.

“He was claiming that it’s a free country and he should be able to walk in the grounds,” Shapps told the Times.

“Then he came back ten minutes later in the car.”

The carnage began at 9.30am when the black Kia hatchback crashed into the gates of the synagogue after “driving erratically” down the road.

He was stabbing ‘anyone near him’

Witnesses said that the “second” the driver leaped out of the vehicle, he began “stabbing anyone near him”.

“He went for the security guard and tried to break into the synagogue,” an eyewitness said.

The attacker – believed to be 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie – reportedly tried to “stab the window to get in” after those inside barricaded the doors.

An eyewitness said prayers had started when the horror unfolded but Rabbi Daniel Walker, who was leading the service, remained calm and led the congregation to safety with the help of others.

A man in a black shirt behind horizontal bars, possibly holding a phone.

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A suspected knifeman who was shot dead by cops after unleashing a ‘terror’ rampage which left two deadCredit: facebook
A knife lying on the ground.

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The knife used in the tragic attackCredit: Reuters

Police called as public barricaded doors

At 9.31am, police scrambled to Crumpsall, north of Manchester.

A member of the public called the police saying he had seen a car being driven towards a crowd and one man had been stabbed.

The man had tried to kick down the doors, and then tried to use his knife to get in.

When that failed, he resorted to the plant pots that were outside to try smash in the windows.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed the man believed to be the offender was wearing a vest which had the “appearance of an explosive device” as the horror unfolded.

Shocking aftermath pictures revealed what is believed to be a bomb belt and a knife near the attacker.

However, cops have since revealed that the device the suspect was wearing was “not viable”.

Armed police and emergency responders gather in Crumpsall, Manchester, England.

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Armed Police and emergency responders gather at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation SynagogueCredit: Getty
Armed police officers stand by emergency vehicles outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue following an attack.

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At 9.34am, three minutes after police arrived, armed cops were deployed at the sceneCredit: AFP

Armed cops swarmed the scene

At 9.34am, three minutes after police arrived, armed cops were deployed at the scene as more details of the horrifying rampage emerged.

GMP declared PLATO and a major incident at 9.37am – which means terrorism is suspected but not confirmed.

The area around the synagogue in Crumpsall was swamped by dozens of police vehicles, along with fire and ambulance crews, while a force helicopter hovered overhead.

Police officers dressed in black combat fatigues and carrying machine guns could also be seen inside the cordon outside the synagogue.

Bomb scare as shots fired

In video shared on social media, an onlooker could be heard saying that the suspect “has got a bomb on him” and appeared to be trying to press a button to detonate it.

“He’s going to blow himself up, he’s trying to press the button,” the person is heard to say – before there a gunshot rings out and the suspect falls to the ground.

After warning the man several times to stand down to no avail, the armed officers opened fire.

The attacker was shot dead at 9.38am – but GMP said they could not confirm his death for sure.

This was because of safety concerns about the “bomb vest” he appeared to be wearing – but was later revealed to be unviable.

Dad-of-three Yoni Finlay – who helped barricade the doors – was injured either by a stray police bullet or from glass when the bullet hit the door.

He was taken to hospital, reportedly undergoing surgery.

Two police officers with tactical gear and firearms walking past a brick building.

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Armed cops shot the suspect after the attack outside a synagogue
Device with wires taped to it on asphalt, with smoke and red debris nearby.

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A device that was strapped to the suspected attackerCredit: Reuters

Emergency services on scene

A white lorry marked ‘Bomb Disposal’ arrived at the scene and went behind the cordon outside the synagogue.

A “loud bang” was heard, which police have confirmed was from specialist officers gaining entry to the suspect’s vehicle “as a precaution”.

Paramedics arrived at the scene at soon after at 9.41am and began tending to members of the public.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer – who flew back from Denmark early to chair Cobra – announced that security is being stepped up at every synagogue across the country.

Starmer said: “The attack in Manchester this morning is absolutely shocking, and all of our thoughts are with those affected.

“I am on my way back to London. When I arrive, I will chair an emergency Cobra meeting.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaking at Copenhagen Airport.

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Prime Minister Keir Starmer flew back from Denmark early to chair CobraCredit: Reuters
Armed Forces personnel preparing a bomb disposal robot.

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Members of the Armed Forces prepare a bomb disposal robotCredit: AFP
Members of the army unload a bomb disposal robot.

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A white lorry marked ‘Bomb Disposal’ arrived at the scene and went behind the cordon outside the synagogueCredit: PA

Cops raid nearby street

The Mayor of London also announced the Met Police is deploying patrols in Jewish communities and synagogues across the capital.

Later in the day, at 11.38am, a nearby residential street was cordoned off as cops searched houses.

A neighbour of a house raided in Langley Crescent, Prestwich, which appears to be a council house, said she recognised its occupant from photographs of the synagogue attacker.

She told The Telegraph: “He lived there 10 years, with no wife or kids that I could see. He never seemed to speak to anyone around here.

“I recognised him from the pictures of the attacker. I recognised his little car, the Kia, because he’d always park it badly outside ours.

“I’d see him walking around in his pyjamas and slip-on sandals, carrying a shopping bag.

“He was quite bulked up and used to keep his exercise weights in his garage. I’d see them there.”

Armed police officer securing the perimeter of a crime scene on White House Avenue in Manchester, England.

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Police block off White House avenue near the scene of the attackCredit: Getty

Three arrested on suspicion of terrorism

Two men were spotted being led away in handcuffs, and it was later confirmed that three people – two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s – were arrested.

The trio are being held on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism. 

Police confirmed that the attack was declared a terrorist incident and an investigation into the horror is being led by Counter Terrorist Officers.

Operation Plato – cops’ response to marauding terrorist attacks – was stood down, but it remains a major incident.

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year in Judaism.

Large numbers of Jewish people attend synagogues and fast on this day.

A blurred body lies on the ground next to a knife, two overturned flowerpots, and what appears to be a black belt.

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The body of a man, believed to be the attacker on the ground at the sceneCredit: Reuters

Attacker identified

Yesterday evening, it emerged that the man shot dead is 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie.

In an update the force said: “We are now able to confirm that, although formal identification is yet to take place, we believe the person responsible for the attacks is 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie.

“He is a British citizen of Syrian descent.”

His name has not appeared in initial searches of police and security service counter-terrorism records, and he is not thought to have been under current investigation.

However, further checks are being carried out to see if any of his details appear anywhere in records of other investigations.

The Home Office confirmed to The Sun that he came to the UK as a young child and was granted citizenship in 2006 as a minor.

He was not known to the police, the Home Secretary has confirmed.

Mayor Andy Burnham, Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson visit a synagogue after a stabbing and car attack.

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Shabana Mahmood said the attacker wasn’t known to policeCredit: Getty

Attack declared a terrorist incident

Speaking on GB News, Shabana Mahmood said: “In terms of the attacker, this individual was not known to the security services.

“He has obviously been shot dead at the scene, but the police investigations will now continue at pace.”

She thanked members of the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall and the police, saying their actions helped save lives.

Speaking at a press conference earlier Chief Constable Stephen Watson branded the attack as a “horrific incident.”

He said: “My thoughts, and those of my officers and staff, are with the families of the loved ones who have been affected by today’s horrific incident, on what is the Jewish community’s holiest day: Yom Kippur.

“This has been officially declared as a terrorist incident, and the investigation is now being led by Counter Terrorist Police.

“We can confirm that two members of our Jewish community have sadly died as a result of this attack.

“Following a rapid response, armed officers from Greater Manchester Police intercepted the offender and he was fatally shot by officers, within seven minutes of the initial call”, he added.

Image of Melvin Cravitz, one of two terror attack victims.

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Melvin Cravitz, 66, tragically died in the attack

Two victims named

This morning, two men who tragically died in the rampage were named as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66.

Three other men remain in hospital with serious injuries. One sustained a stab wound and a second was struck by the car involved in the attack.

Cops said: “The third man later presented himself at hospital with an injury that may have been sustained as officers stopped the attacker.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes said: “My deepest sympathies are with Mr Daulby and Mr Cravitz’s loved ones at this extremely hard time.

“Specially trained Family Liaison Officers are in contact with them.

“They will continue to update them on the investigation and support them throughout the coronial process.

“Whilst there are processes which must be followed, we commit to being mindful of cultural preferences and sensitivities and to ensuring that these men and their loved ones’ wishes are respected.”

Home Office post-mortems will take place later today, a statement from Greater Manchester Police confirmed this morning.

Everything we know about synagogue terror attacker Jihad Al-Shamie – ‘reclusive’ English tutor who came to UK as a child

By Ryan Merrifield

THE synagogue terror attacker shot dead by police yesterday has been identified by police as Jihad Al-Shamie.

He was an unmarried recluse who was previously not known to authorities.

Al-Shamie killed two Jewish people during a car and knife rampage outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester on Thursday morning, leaving four others fighting for their lives.

He came to the UK as a young child, the Home Office confirmed last night.

The twisted 35-year-old was granted citizenship in 2006 as a minor, aged around 16. He was a British national of Syrian descent.

His father appears to have worked as a trauma surgeon for several NGOs in warzones across the world.

Al-Shamie was said to have lived in a council house in Prestwich, not far from the attack site, for 10 years, with a neighbour telling The Sun: “He had no wife or kids that I could see.

“He never seemed to speak to anyone around here.”

The killer appears to have worked as a tutor teaching English and computer programming.

Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that Al-Shamie had no previous Prevent referrals – meaning authorities were not aware that he was a terror risk.

The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood reiterated the same point, telling GB News: “In terms of the attacker, this individual was not known to the security services.

“He has obviously been shot dead at the scene, but the police investigations will now continue at pace.”

She thanked members of the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall and the police, saying their actions helped save lives.

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Shock and disbelief as Manchester community reels from synagogue attack | Religion News

Residents in UK’s Crumpsall say they are shocked after a car and knife attack near synagogue kills two people.

Manchester, England – As people gathered near a synagogue in Manchester, hours after an attack there killed two people, many struggled to make sense of the assault. Attacks don’t happen in places like this, locals say, not least on Yom Kippur.

About 9.30am (08:30 GMT) on Thursday, a man drove his car into people near the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall in the north of Manchester before emerging to attack others with a knife.

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The synagogue’s security staff and members of the public prevented him from entering the building before police arrived and fatally shot the assailant, who appeared to be wearing an “explosive device”, police said. Four injured people were admitted to hospital in serious condition.

Two people have been arrested since the attack, said the Metropolitan Police’s head of counterterrorism policing, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor. The identity and potential motives of the attacker have not been disclosed.

Standing with some of his family on the corner of a nearby road with a police helicopter hovering overhead, 23-year-old Zaki said he still can’t believe what happened.

“I heard the shots this morning,” he told Al Jazeera. “It didn’t seem believable. I thought it was fireworks.”

Zaki echoed the comments of many who gathered around the synagogue. These things don’t happen here, onlookers said. Crumpsall has long been a multicultural area. “Everyone in our community gets on well,” Zaki said. “Our neighbours are Jewish.”

Another resident, 41-year-old Sam Martin, also described struggling to understand the attack.

“There’s everyone here,” he told Al Jazeera, “Muslims, Jews, everyone. I’ve known nothing but love and kindness from our Jewish community. I’m just shocked this could happen.”

According to many people in the neighbourhood, even Israel’s war on Gaza hasn’t caused any great division within the community. However, many expressed concerns that far-right groups – their confidence fuelled after an August campaign to hang English flags across the country and a mass rally in London a month later – would seek to take advantage of the attack to further unrest.

Far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who uses the pseudonym Tommy Robinson, quickly seized upon the attack, assigning blame to groups from the Board of Deputies of British Jews to the United Kingdom’s ruling Labour Party for the assault despite the identity and potential motives of the attacker remaining unclear.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticised British authorities, accusing them of failing to curb anti-Semitism.

“Blatant and rampant antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement, as well as calls of support for terror, have recently become a widespread phenomenon in the streets of London, in cities across Britain, and on its campuses,” he wrote on X.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the attacker was a “vile” person who was motivated to attack Jews “because they are Jews.”

One of the young men gathered near the police cordon, 23-year-old Akiva, who asked neither to be recorded or have notes taken during his interview out of respect for the holiday, was sure the English far right would seize upon the attack. He said the attack has shaken Jewish residents and would likely sow divisions in the otherwise quiet and well integrated community.

Akiva had come to the synagogue to check on his brother, who normally took a route past the synagogue on his way to worship. He said his mother collapsed when she first heard of the attack so close to their home in Manchester.

Other members of the district’s Jewish community gathered nearby spoke of feeling targeted for their identity, of having been attacked on their holiest day of the year.



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Manchester synagogue attacker named as Jihad Al-Shamie

Marc WaddingtonNorth West and

James Chater

Watch: Armed police at the scene of Manchester synagogue attack

The man who carried out an attack at a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday which left two Jewish people dead and three others injured has been named by police as Jihad Al-Shamie.

Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British man of Syrian descent, drove a car at people outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue before attacking people with a knife. He was shot dead by police at the scene.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said three further people had been arrested as part of the investigation into the “terrorist incident”.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the “terrorist attack”, which took place on Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Sir Keir said that “additional police assets” would be deployed at synagogues across the country, while London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said that “high visibility” policing in and around synagogues in the capital would also be “stepped up”.

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said the attack in Crumpsall, north Manchester, was the “tragic result” of an “unrelenting wave of Jew hatred on our streets, campuses, on social media and elsewhere”.

“This is the day we hoped we would never see, but which deep down, we knew would come,” he added.

The three injured men include one who was stabbed, a second who was struck by the vehicle and a third who later went to hospital with an injury “that may have been sustained as officers stopped the attacker”, GMP says.

GMP said that two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s had been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

A spokesman for the force added that a suspicious device worn by the attacker during the incident had been assessed and found not to be a viable explosive.

He added that no referrals related to Al-Shamie had been made to Prevent – the government’s anti-radicalisation scheme.

It is understood that Al-Shamie entered the UK as a young child, and was granted British citizenship in 2006 as a minor.

An image verified by the BBC, taken near the scene this morning, shows a man believed to be the suspect with items around his waist

An image taken at the scene showed Al-Shamie, who was later shot dead by police, with items around his waist

Police responded to reports of a car driving at members of the public at 09:31 on Thursday morning, after which officers quickly declared a major incident.

Eyewitnesses describe how security staff prevented the attacker from getting into the synagogue.

Video footage from the scene shows armed officers pointing their weapons at a man on the ground, warning people the man has “a bomb on him” and urging bystanders to back away.

At 09:38, as the man tries to get up, officers shoot him – just seven minutes after the initial call to the police.

Aerial view of Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Middleton Road, marked with a red label. Four numbered points indicate locations of a car and stabbing attack incident: (1) car driven at people outside the synagogue at 09:31, (2) Driver attacks others with knife, (3) attempted entry into synagogue blocked, and (4) 09:38 suspect shot by police, who say he had a bomb

Officers, synagogue security and rabbi Daniel Walker were commended by the prime minister for preventing a worse tragedy.

AFP via Getty Images Rabbi Daniel Walker, wearing a white kittel, is standing next to an armed police officer. AFP via Getty Images

Rabbi Daniel Walker was praised as a hero for the way he protected the congregation during the attack

Sir Keir returned to the UK early from a summit of European leaders in Denmark in response to the incident, and later visited an unnamed synagogue.

Speaking from Downing Street after a Cobra emergency committee meeting, Sir Keir said the suspect had “attacked Jews because they are Jews”.

Addressing the Jewish community in the UK, he said: “I promise you that I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve, starting with a more visible police presence, protecting your community.

“I promise you that over the coming days, you will see the other Britain, the Britain of compassion, of decency, of love.”

Robin Simcox, commissioner for countering extremism, told the BBC’s Newsnight programmne that there was an “early indicator” that the attack was “Islamist” because of the dummy suicide vest the suspect was wearing.

He added: “Something pretty fundamental has changed in the UK over the past couple of years, where Jews are now openly saying they don’t feel safe and they’re not sure if they see a future for themselves in the United Kingdom.”

How the Manchester synagogue attack unfolded

PA Media Armed police at the scene, with police vehicles in the background.PA Media

Armed officers were called to the scene of the attack at 09:34, three minutes after a member of the public had alerted police

A map showing the synagogue in the north of Manchester
PA Media The Army bomb disposal unit, complete with a robot, photographed outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester.PA Media

The Army bomb disposal unit were called to the incident

A witness at the scene says prayers had started when the attack happened but Rabbi Daniel Walker, who was leading the service, remained calm as he and others led the congregation to safety.

A woman, who described herself as a religious Jew who lives next door to the synagogue, says that as soon as the suspect got out of the car he “started stabbing anyone near him”.

She told the Daily Mail: “Rabbi Walker was incredibly calm, he shut the doors to the synagogue to stop him getting inside.

“He barricaded everyone inside. He is a hero, this could have been even worse.”

GMP chief constable Sir Stephen Watson said there had been many worshippers inside the synagogue at the time of the incident.

He praised security staff and worshippers who had shut the attacker out, saying that thanks to the “immediate bravery of security staff and the worshippers inside, as well as the fast response of the police, the attacker was prevented from gaining access”.

PA Media Keir Starmer walks out of his Prime Ministerial car outside No 10 Downing Street. He in correcting his suit blazer whilst his assistant closes the door behind himPA Media

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrives at No. 10 to chair an emergency Cobra meeting

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: “Tonight, our first thoughts are with the families of those people who died, those injured and those traumatised by this, an horrific antisemitic attack on our Jewish friends and neighbours. We condemn it outright.

“Greater Manchester will never stand aside when one of our communities is attacked.”

On Thursday evening, a GMP spokesman said crime scenes remained in place on White House Avenue, Crumpsall and Langley Crescent, Prestwich, which were linked to the arrests made earlier.

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Police say deadly British synagogue car, knife attack is terrorism

1 of 2 | A member of the Jewish community holds a Torah at a police cordon in Manchester, England, Thursday. Two people have died after a car and stabbing attack at a synagogue in Manchester, with the suspect shot by police. Photo by Adam Vaughan/EPA

Oct. 2 (UPI) — Police in Manchester have labeled a deadly attack on a synagogue during Yom Kippur services a terrorist incident. Two people were killed.

The attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue also injured three people who were in serious condition, the Greater Manchester Police said in a statement.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of counter-terrorism policing, said police know the attacker’s identity. The attacker was shot dead by police, but there have been two other arrests, he said.

Manchester police also have said that the device the man was wearing, believed to be an explosive device, was not viable.

Members of a bomb disposal unit were on the scene to investigate, and police advised the public to stay away from the area. They also held members of the congregation inside the synagogue temporarily while making the area safe and released them later.

A GMP spokesperson said police were in contact with all synagogues in the greater Manchester area “to provide reassurance.”

“We know today’s horrifying attack, on the Jewish community’s holiest day, will have caused significant shock and fear throughout all of our communities,” the spokesperson said.

“We are grateful to the member of the public whose quick response to what they witnessed allowed our swift action, and as a result, the offender was prevented from entering the synagogue.”

The Israeli Embassy in London condemned the attack, calling it “abhorrent and deeply distressing” in a statement on X.

“The safety and security of Jewish communities in the United Kingdom must be guaranteed,” the statement added.

Britain’s King Charles III offered his thoughts and prayers in the wake of the attack and thanked the work of emergency officials.

“My wife and I have been deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the horrific attack in Manchester, especially on such a significant day for the Jewish community,” he said.

Jewish communities in Britain were on heightened alert Thursday, with London’s Metropolitan Police increasing patrols new Jewish cultural sites, an unnamed source told The Guardian.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said additional police were being deployed to synagogues throughout the country.

“We will do everything we can to keep our Jewish community safe,” he said.

Starmer planned to fly back to Britain early from a summit he was leading in Denmark, the BBC reported.



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UK neo-Nazis convicted of planning mosque, synagogue ‘race war’ attack | The Far Right News

Police say the trio espoused hatred for Muslims and immigrants and discussed attacking mosques or synagogues.

Police in the United Kingdom say three men have been convicted of planning to carry out an attack on mosques or synagogues in anticipation of a coming race war.

Brogan Stewart and Marco Pitzettu, both aged 25, and Christopher Ringrose, 34, all pleaded not guilty but were convicted of all charges by jurors at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday. Sentencing is scheduled for July 17.

“Stewart, Pitzettu, and Ringrose have today been rightfully convicted of multiple terrorism offences,” Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said in a statement.

“They were a group that espoused vile racist views and advocated for violence, all to support their extreme right-wing mindset.”

The convictions come amid a debate in the UK over immigration rights as the left-of-centre Labour Party adopts increasingly harsh rhetoric on migration amid increasing public support for the far right. Critics said a recent speech by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in which he said immigration threatened to turn the UK into an “island of strangers” helps legitimise a view perpetuated by the far right that immigration is a destructive and dangerous force.

The convicted far-right group was part of a Telegram channel named Einsatz 14, in which they talked about executing former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and torturing imams.

“It was their belief that there must soon come a time when there would be a race war between the white and other races,” prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford told jurors.

Conspiracy theories that Muslims and immigrants are carrying out a “great replacement” of white people in Western nations have become increasingly widespread on the right in recent years.

That conspiracy often involves an anti-Semitic angle, portraying Jews as supporters of pro-immigration policies meant to weaken Western nations from the inside.

All three men were convicted of planning an act of terrorism and multiple firearms offences. They were found guilty of two counts of collecting information that could be useful to someone preparing a terrorist act, and Ringrose was additionally charged with manufacturing a component for a 3D-printed FGC9 firearm.

Prosecutors said the group was preparing for an act of terrorism when they were arrested in February 2024. Their trial began in March.

“Some of their defence in court was that it was all fantasy or just part of harmless chat, however all three took real world steps to plan and prepare for carrying out an attack on innocent citizens,” Dunkerley said.

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