Evil Manchester synagogue terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie dropped out of university when hooked on violent video game Street Fighter and strong “skunk” cannabis, it’s now been revealed. Twisted Al-Shamie, 35, also revelled in gaslighting his 18 year-old Muslim ‘on-off’ girlfriend by criticising her weight, making her watch ISIS videos and urging her to dress modestly and embrace radical Islam.
In one vile rant after a split he messaged her: “We had a good year or so. I enjoyed destroying you hundreds of times. In your prime!” The former partner, who we cannot name for legal reasons, has fears she was groomed by Al-Shamie and forced into a “controlling relationship”.
The pair, who met on Muslim dating app Muzmatch, were in a relationship for four months before she left him over his extremist views, and moved from the UK to escape his clutches.
She claimed Al-Shamie told her he wanted to join ISIS and also pressured her to become “dedicated to the cause”. She explained: “He used to sit there and make me watch extreme videos that I had no interest in.
“I am Muslim and of course I love to learn more. But this stuff was something I have been raised to not agree with.
“He used to always say I was taught the wrong way and I wasn’t taught right. He was basically just trying to groom me into what he thought.”
Al-Shamie moved to the UK from Syria with his family when he was a young child and was granted British citizenship in 2006.
His father Faraj is a trauma doctor who later divorced his mother Formoz and moved to France. Jihad has two younger brothers Kenan and Jawad.
Faraj, who has worked in a number of warzones for NGOs, took to Facebook on Friday to condemn the slaughter at the Heaton Park Synagogue, in Manchester, carried out by his son.
He penned: “We fully distance ourselves from this attack and express our deep shock and sorrow over what has happened.”
But Faraj’s Facebook also contains a number of nasty, disturbing posts that give an alarming insight into his own views on Israel and Jews.
In one post last year he shockingly said Hamas’s attacks on Israel on October 7th were carried out by “men of God on Earth”.
Referencing a militant group that claimed to have taken part in the attacks, he said: “The scenes broadcasted by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade of a group of fighters storming the camp of the occupation army with simple means, balloons and motorcycles, prove beyond doubt that Israel is not left, men like these prove that they are the men of God on Earth.”
Faraj Al-Shamie also praised Iranian missile attacks on Israeli cities and said there “should be the last battle” with Israel.
His son Jihad grew up enjoying family trips to Chester Zoo, the Camelot theme park in Lancashire and shopping trips to the Trafford Centre – near Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium.
But in his later teens he developed an addiction to violent video games and powerful ‘skunk’ cannabis, which is claimed may have sparked psychosis and paranoia.
Al-Shamie would spend hours in his bedroom playing computer game Street Fighter using the name “Jiji”.
His obsessions led the soon-to-be terrorist to drop out of Liverpool John Moores University a year into his English, media and cultural studies degree in 2011.
A former pal said he believed Al-Shamie then fell down a “rabbit hole” of online extreme Islamic brainwashing adding: “He was a rebellious wild child. He got into a lot of trouble with his parents. He used to smoke cannabis from an early age.
“He would spend a lot of time practising Street Fighter, like obsessively practising this computer game. He was very good at it, to the point where he competed a couple of times in competitions.”
The source added: “It was probably why he dropped out of uni. He was spending too much time smoking weed, working out and playing video games.”
He added: “His personality type, he would latch on to one thing and get buried deep into it. The only thing I can think of is that he’s done that but with radical religion.”
Al-Shamie, whose name is said to translate as “struggle of the Syrian” became “reclusive” after dropping out of education and started to practice Islam around 2018.
Neighbours said he would spend his time lifting weights in his garage or wander around in his pyjamas and flip flops.
The pal, who lost touch with him, said: “I heard he became a bit reclusive and appeared to be very into his faith, which surprised me as he was never that kind of guy.
“There were some concerns about his mental health. I don’t know if he ever got professional help.”
He said he was worried Al-Shamie would go down a “rabbit hole”, adding: “He had an addictive personality. My suspicion is that he ended up self-radicalising.”
Al-Shamie is also believed to have been married to a British Pakistani woman in Manchester. It is understood they share a two-year-old child, but are no longer in a relationship.
It is believed he later struck up a relationship with a 46 year-old NHS Mental health peer support worker, in Bolton, Greater Manchester, who has since been arrested by police probing last week’s terror attack.
Her home in Bolton was raided on Friday night by dozens of armed officers and uniformed police, with neighbours in the peaceful street reportedly hearing ‘screams and shouts’.
The woman is a peer support worker for an NHS hospital in Manchester. Such carers provide emotional support to those who are suffering from mental health traumas or illnesses.
She is one of four people still being questioned by detectives after officers were granted extra time to question them.
Two innocent people – Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66 – were killed in the rampage before Al-Shamie was shot dead by armed cops.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said Mr Daulby appeared to have been hit by police gunfire as they shot the attacker shortly after the alarm was raised.
In a statement from Mr Daulby’s family, they said he “lost his life in the act of courage to save others” while Mr Cravitz’s family said he “would do anything to help anyone”.
Mr Daulby, who was hailed by his family as a “hero”, was attending a service at the synagogue when the attack unfolded.
“He was a beloved brother, loving uncle to his four nieces and one nephew and a cherished cousin,” his family added. “The family is shocked by the tragic, sudden death of such a lovely down to earth man.
“His final act was one of profound courage and he will forever be remembered for his heroic act.”
The family of Mr Cravitz, from Crumpsall, said: “He was so kind, caring and always wanted to chat and get to know people.
“He was devoted to his wife, family and loved his food. He will be sorely missed by his wife, family, friends and community.”
Greater Manchester Police initially said Mr Cravitz was working as security guard at the time of the attack but later clarified he was a worshipper.
Two men, aged 30 and 32, as well as a 61-year-old woman arrested in Farnworth will also remain in custody for “up to a further five days”.
The force added an 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man, also arrested in Farnworth, have since been released pending further enquiries.