Police have named 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie as the suspected attacker at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Greater Manchester. He was a British citizen of Syrian descent, who entered the UK as a very young child, and was granted British citizenship in 2006 as a minor. He is believed to have lived in lived in Prestwich. Al-Shamie was killed by armed police. A video showed him on the ground, and as he tried to get up, he was shot. A photo showed the alleged perpetrator on the ground, seemingly lifeless, with a knife nearby. He also had objects attached to his clothing.
Two men were killed in the terrorist attack. Three other men remain in hospital with serious injuries. One sustained a stab wound and a second was struck by the car involved in the attack, the force said. The third man later presented himself at hospital with an injury that may have been sustained as officers stopped the attacker.
Two men aged in their 30s and a woman in her 60s have been arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism connected to the synagogue attack, Greater Manchester Police said.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council said: “We are devastated at the loss of two members of our Jewish community, and our thoughts are with their families, those who are injured and receiving treatment, and all those who have been affected by this act of antisemitic terror.
“Our communal organisations are working in close coordination with one another and with all relevant authorities including government and police.
“We urge all members of our community to carefully follow instructions from the CST, police and other authorities, intended to keep us safe.
“We are grateful to the police and the synagogue’s security team for their courageous action, as well as that of other emergency responders, which undoubtedly prevented further tragedy.”
The Mayor of Greater Manchester condemned the terrorist attack on a synagogue in the city as “an horrific antisemitic attack on our Jewish friends and neighbours” and urged people to “stand together in these difficult times”.
Giving a statement to reporters at the scene, Andy Burnham said: “Tonight, our first thoughts are with the families of those people who died, those injured and those traumatised by this, an horrific antisemitic attack on our Jewish friends and neighbours. We condemn it outright.
“Greater Manchester will never stand aside when one of our communities is attacked.
“We ask everyone to show solidarity to the Jewish community this weekend, and already, we’ve mobilised through our interfaith network messages of support and solidarity through places of worship.”