The US Department of Homeland Security posted on social media appearing to mock Britain in the wake of the terror attack against a synagogue in Manchester this week. The American agency posed the question on X, “want to help keep “Jihad” out of America?”, followed by a recruitment link to join the organisation.
The post highlighted it was in response to a news report which named the suspect behind the antisemitic attack on the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Manchester on Thursday, which left two people dead. The news report read: “UK’s Counter Terrorism Police name Manchester synagogue attacker as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35 year old UK citizen, of Syrian descent.”
Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, was shot dead by police after he rammed a car into pedestrians, attacked them with a knife and tried to force his way into the building. Congregation members Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, died in the attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. Greater Manchester Police said Mr Daulby is believed to have been shot by an armed officer as he and other congregants barricaded the synagogue to block Al-Shamie from entering. Three other men are hospitalised with serious injuries.
The US Homeland Security Department recruitment link posted on X links to a page advertising positions in US Citizenship and Immigration Services. The website tells applicants they can become “a homeland defender protecting America from criminal aliens”.
Today (Saturday), counter-terror police said they had been granted warrants giving them extra time to question four people arrested in connection with the Manchester attack on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, with another two also in custody.
The police operation is being led by Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW). They were granted the warrants on Saturday, meaning they can detain four of the suspects for a further five days.
The warrants are in relation to two men, aged 30 and 32, and a woman, 61, all arrested in Prestwich, and a 46-year-old woman arrested in Farnworth. Also under arrest are an 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man who were arrested in Farnworth and remain in custody for questioning.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said three men remain in hospital with serious injuries, including a security guard with car-impact injuries and a Community Security Trust (CST) worker with stab wounds. On Friday the police watchdog, which is investigating the incident, said it was examining the use of lethal force by GMP firearms officers.
The investigation would include “whether police may have caused or contributed to the death” of Mr Daulby. A GMP spokesman said they had increased patrols to reassure the community.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was joined by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Assistant Chief Constable John Webster as she visited the synagogue on Saturday.
Mrs Badenoch has said Jewish people in the UK must be given greater security as some are “leaving to go to Israel”.
She said: “Jewish people right now are telling me that they are leaving to go to Israel. Israel is at war. How can people be leaving the UK to go to a war zone and think that they’ll be safer there?
“We need to bring back safety to our streets.”