Manchester, UK — Police have named the suspect in Thursday’s attack outside a Manchester synagogue as Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, a British national of Syrian descent. Two people were killed and three others injured when Al-Shamie allegedly drove a car into worshippers gathered outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation and then attacked bystanders with a knife. He was shot dead by armed officers within minutes.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) declared the assault a terrorist incident. Three others—two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s—have been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism. A device worn by the attacker was assessed at the scene and found not to be viable, police said.
The attack occurred on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, shortly after 09:30 BST in Crumpsall, north Manchester. Security staff and worshippers quickly locked the synagogue doors, preventing the attacker from entering. Video footage shows officers warning onlookers to move back, citing a possible explosive, before opening fire at 09:38, seven minutes after the initial call.
GMP said of the three injured: one was stabbed, another struck by the vehicle, and a third presented later at hospital with an injury “that may have been sustained as officers stopped the attacker.” No referrals related to Al-Shamie had been made to Prevent, the government’s anti-radicalisation programme, the force added. He is understood to have entered the UK as a child and obtained British citizenship in 2006 as a minor.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the “terrorist attack” and said “additional police assets” will be deployed to protect synagogues nationwide. He returned early from a European leaders’ summit, chaired a COBRA meeting, and later visited a synagogue, pledging: “I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve.”
Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis called the attack the tragic result of an “unrelenting wave of Jew-hatred,” while London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced “high-visibility policing” around synagogues in the capital. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham condemned “an horrific antisemitic attack” and expressed solidarity with the Jewish community.
GMP Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson praised the “immediate bravery” of security staff and congregants who barred entry, crediting them and the rapid police response with preventing greater loss of life. Rabbi Daniel Walker, who led the Yom Kippur service, was hailed by witnesses for calmly shepherding worshippers to safety.
Crime scenes remained in place Thursday evening on White House Avenue, Crumpsall, and Langley Crescent, Prestwich, linked to the ongoing investigation. Police urged the public to avoid speculation and to report any information via the anti-terror hotline.
