Terrorist who killed two at synagogue was Syrian granted UK citizenship in 2006

The terrorist who killed two Jewish men outside a synagogue on the holiest day of the religion’s calendar was a British citizen of Syrian descent, police have said.

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of planning a terror attack in connection with the killings carried out by Jihad Al-Shamie, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) added.

Al-Shamie, 35, who is understood to have entered the UK as a young child and been granted British citizenship in 2006, was shot dead by police seven minutes after officers were alerted to the attack in Crumpsall, Greater Manchester, on Thursday morning.

The force said two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

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

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

Motivation

GMP said officers were “working to understand the motivation behind the attack” and confirmed the killer had not been referred to the Government’s Prevent anti-radicalisation scheme.

He appears to have lived in Prestwich, around two miles from the scene.

His name is linked to a property in the town and a neighbour recognised his face 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.”

She added: “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.”

Three men remain in hospital with serious injuries after Al-Shamie – who is yet to be formally identified – rammed into people with a car before stabbing a man outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.

A dramatic picture of Al-Shamie shows the moment he stood outside the synagogue with unidentified objects strapped to his waist, initially thought to be an explosive device which police later said was not viable.

Among the men in hospital, one was stabbed and a second was hit by the car.

A third man “presented himself at hospital with an injury that may have been sustained as officers stopped the attacker”, police said.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited an unnamed synagogue on Thursday evening after he vowed to do “everything in my power” to protect Jewish communities in the UK.

‘Jew hatred’

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

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

GMP Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson praised the “immediate bravery” of security staff and worshippers who shut the attacker out during what Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham described as a “horrific antisemitic attack”.

Sir Stephen said: “There were a large number of worshippers attending the synagogue at the time of this attack, but 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.”

Speaking from Downing Street after a Cobra emergency committee meeting, Sir Keir condemned the “terrorist attack that attacked Jews because they are Jews”, which he said had been committed by “a vile individual”.

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.”

Sir Keir said “additional police assets” would be deployed at synagogues across the country.