Authorities have named Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British national of Syrian background, as the individual responsible for the fatal vehicle and stabbing terrorist assault that occurred outside a Manchester synagogue last Thursday.
According to law enforcement, Al-Shamie arrived in the United Kingdom during his early childhood and acquired citizenship in 2006. He possessed no prior criminal history. The name Al-Shamie translates to “the Syrian” in English, and officials are uncertain if this was his given birth name.
London’s Metropolitan Police characterized the incident as a terrorist act. It took place on Yom Kippur, considered the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar, while numerous congregants were assembled at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, an Orthodox Jewish house of worship.
The precise motivation of the assailant remains under investigation by police.
Residents residing near the assailant in Prestwich, a Manchester suburb situated a few miles from the synagogue, reported that Al-Shamie’s family had occupied a home in the area for a considerable time. Multiple individuals recalled observing Al-Shamie engaging in weightlifting and exercising in his garden.
Geoff Halliwell, a local resident, conveyed to The Associated Press that Al-Shamie seemed to be “a straightforward, ordinary lad.”
Al-Shamie faces accusations of driving a vehicle into pedestrians outside the synagogue at approximately 9:30 a.m. local time, followed by a knife assault. He was wearing what appeared to be an explosive vest, later determined to be a dummy device.
Heavily armed police declared the situation a major incident and discharged their weapons moments later, resulting in the suspect’s death.
The incident resulted in two fatalities and four injuries.
In a subsequent update, police stated that Al-Shamie was found to be unarmed and that one of the individuals who died sustained a gunshot wound, possibly from police fire during their intervention. Police also reported that one of the hospitalized victims similarly suffered a gunshot wound.
The deceased victims were identified as Adrian Daulby, aged 53, and Melvin Cravitz, aged 66, both residents of Crumpsall.
On Thursday, three individuals – two men in their thirties and a woman in her sixties – were apprehended by police on suspicion of involvement in the planning or execution of terrorist acts.
Footage circulated on social media depicted armed police officers aiming their weapons at a person prone on the pavement below a blue Star of David emblem affixed to the brick structure.
In the video, a bystander’s voice was audible, claiming the man possessed a bomb and was attempting to press a button. As the man endeavored to rise, a shot was fired, causing him to collapse to the ground, fall onto his back, and then roll onto his side.
During a televised address, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer characterized the assault as a “vile terrorist attack that attacked Jews, because they are Jews.”
“Antisemitism is a hatred that is rising, once again. Britain must defeat it, once again,” Starmer stated. He added, “To every Jewish person in this country: I promise that I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security you deserve.”
Antisemitic incidents across the U.K. have seen a significant increase since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, assault on Israel and Israel’s subsequent military operations in Gaza, as reported by the Community Security Trust, an advocacy organization dedicated to combating antisemitism.
Over 1,500 such incidents were documented in the initial six months of the year, marking the second-highest count reported, trailing only the record established a year prior.
Contributions to this report were made by Simon Owen and The Associated Press.