Police confirmed Jihad Al-Shamie as the attacker behind the Manchester synagogue terror strike that left two dead and three injured on Yom Kippur, as leaders vow stronger protection for Jewish communities and unity against antisemitic hatred.
Police have named Jihad Al-Shamie as the man responsible for the deadly attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, which left two Jewish people dead and three others injured on Yom Kippur. Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British man of Syrian descent, first drove a car into bystanders before attacking others with a knife, and was shot dead by officers at the scene. Greater Manchester Police declared the incident a terrorist attack and arrested three additional individuals on suspicion of involvement in the planning or commission of terrorism. Authorities confirmed a suspicious device worn by Al-Shamie was not a viable explosive, and there were no prior Prevent referrals related to him.
The attack was swiftly thwarted thanks to the bravery of synagogue security, officers, and Rabbi Daniel Walker, who prevented the assailant from entering the building. Eyewitnesses said the rabbi calmly led congregants to safety while barricading doors, earning praise from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who returned early from a European summit to chair an emergency Cobra meeting. Starmer condemned the attack as motivated by antisemitism and promised greater protection for Jewish communities, including increased police presence. He said Britain must confront rising hatred and ensure all communities feel safe, calling on citizens to demonstrate compassion, decency, and unity in the aftermath.
Community leaders echoed these sentiments. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis described the attack as the tragic result of a persistent wave of Jew-hatred, while the Mayor of Greater Manchester pledged full support to victims, their families, and the wider Jewish community. Officials continue to investigate the incident, with multiple crime scenes still in place across Crumpsall and Prestwich. The attack has intensified calls for vigilance against antisemitism and highlighted the ongoing need for security at religious sites throughout the UK.
