A woman who married the Manchester synagogue terrorist in an Islamic ceremony has spoken out for the first time on their “abusive” relationship. The woman from north-east England, who has not been named for safety reasons, met Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, on a Muslim dating app and married him less than a month later, she told the Manchester Evening News (MEN). The 38-year-old said the terrorist mentally and physically abused her and begged her to be his “second wife” after she found out that he had already been married with children when they met.
In a text message seen by the MEN, Al-Shamie wrote: “In Islam a man can have up to 4 wives but these days most women don’t accept it, but I shouldn’t have lied. It was wrong of me.” The woman, who converted to Islam and changed her name in 2012, said the killer hadn’t expressed violent or political views when they were together but suggested he was manipulative, had subjected her to coercive and controlling behaviour and raped her.
While some messages showed him begging for her forgiveness and saying he “loves” and was “crazy” about her, others revealed a nastier dynamic, calling her “f***** up in the head” and “not worth it”. The 38-year-old said she met the attacker in December 2021 and last saw him in April 2025.
Al-Shamie, who was born in Syria and granted British citizenship in 2006, was on police bail accused of rape when he carried out the horror knife and car attack in Manchester on Thursday.
The 35-year-old was also violent and abusive towards an ex-girlfriend who he didn’t tell he was married with children, the MEN previously reported. She said he had shown an interest in the Islamic State during their time together and warned her that she should be a more devout Muslim.
Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, died in the terror attack outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Mr Daulby is believed to have been inadvertently shot by police as they scrambled to stop Al-Shamie, who had driven his car into people outside the religious building, attacked others with a knife and tried to storm inside wearing a fake suicide belt.
Three men remain in hospital with serious injuries including a security guard with car-impact injuries and a Community Security Trust worker with stab wounds.
Al-Shamie was shot dead by police at the scene. Four people arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts remain in custody, including two men, aged 30 and 32, and a woman, 61, all detained in Prestwich, alongside a 46-year-old woman arrested in Farnworth.
Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Stephen Watson said: “I want to reassure people that no stone is being left unturned. We will get to the bottom of what happened, and as those facts emerge into the public domain, we’ll be sure, of course, to communicate those in a way that I hope addresses people’s needs, requirements and interest in this most horrific of attacks.”