Manchester synagogue stabbing (Pic credit: AP)
British police on Thursday identified the man behind the deadly attack outside a Manchester synagogue which left two dead and three injured in a “terrorist attack”. Greater Manchester Police has confirmed the identity of the attacker as Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, a UK citizen of Syrian origin. He was shot dead by officers after he rammed a car into worshippers outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall and then began stabbing people. Three other suspects remain in custody on terror-related charges. “We can confirm that three suspects are currently in custody and have been arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism. They are two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s,” Greater Manchester Police said in a statement. Police said they were alerted to the incident at 9:31 am (0831 GMT) and paramedics treated “four members of the public with injuries caused by both the vehicle and stab wounds.” The rampage took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, intensifying fears in the community. The attack also comes just days before the second anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched terror strikes inside Israel. Also read : UK terror attack: 2 dead, 3 hurt in mass stabbing; suspect shot by cops – PM Keir Starmer to chair emergency meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer strongly condemned the assault. “The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific. My thoughts are with the loved ones of all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services and all the first responders,” he wrote on X. Britain’s King Charles III also expressed sorrow, saying he was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the incident.
