The man behind Thursday’s deadly attack at a Manchester synagogue was on police bail following an earlier rape arrest, authorities have confirmed. Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, a British citizen of Syrian descent, killed two men and injured three others during a violent rampage at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Counter Terrorism Policing has said that Al-Shamie may have been influenced by “extreme Islamist ideology.” Police have arrested three additional suspects, aged between 18 and their mid-40s, on suspicion of preparing or instigating acts of terrorism.
Victims of the attack were named as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66. Both men were hailed as heroes by their families. Mr Daulby was killed by police gunfire while trying to help others as officers confronted the attacker. His family said he “lost his life in the act of courage to save others.”
Mr Cravitz, a longtime worshipper at the synagogue, was described by relatives as “kind, caring, and devoted to his family.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into the use of lethal force by armed officers after it emerged that police bullets also seriously injured another worshipper, Yoni Finlay.
According to counter-terror police chief Laurence Taylor, Al-Shamie was seen acting suspiciously outside the synagogue before being confronted by security. About fifteen minutes later, he returned in a car, drove into pedestrians, and began stabbing people.
In a statement, Al-Shamie’s family expressed “deep shock and sorrow,” adding that they “fully distance” themselves from his actions.
Residents in Prestwich described Al-Shamie as a quiet weightlifting enthusiast who rarely interacted with neighbours. Police continue to question six people as investigations into the deadly terror attack intensify.
