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Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, was named by British police as the suspect who rammed his vehicle into a Manchester synagogue and stabbed two Jewish men to death, before being shot dead.
Jihad Al-Shamie was shot dead after he carried out a stabbing attack at a Jewish synagogue.
In a horrendous terrorist attack, a man drove his car into a crowded synagogue in Manchester, United Kingdom, on Thursday, on a Jewish holiday and went on a stabbing spree – killing two people and injuring three others. The suspect was shot dead by police.
The suspect has been identified as Jihad Al-Shamie, a person of Syrian descent, who drove a car at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, according to the BBC. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) revealed that three other people – two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s – had been arrested “on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism”.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack, saying, “On Yom Kippur, the holiest day for the Jewish community, a vile individual committed a terrorist attack attacked Jews, because they are Jews, and attacked Britain because of our values.”
“We must be clear, it (antisemitism) is a hatred that is rising, once again. Britain must defeat it, once again. On behalf of the nation, I want to express my condolences to the families and victims affected,” he added, vowing to protect Jewish communities after the attack.
ALSO READ: ‘Get Back, He Has A Bomb’: UK Police Gun Down Manchester Synagogue Attack Suspect
Who Is Jihad Al-Shamie?
Al-Shamie has been identified as a 35-year-old British man of Syrian descent who entered the UK as a young child and was granted British citizenship in 2006 as a minor. The attacker’s last known address was in Manchester, according to The Guardian. Police said that officers were continuing inquiries as part of their investigation in Crumpsall and nearby Prestwich.
“We are now able to confirm that, although formal identification is yet to take place, we believe the person responsible for today’s attacks is 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie. He is a British citizen of Syrian descent,” said the Greater Manchester Police. “A suspicious device worn by the attacker during the incident has been assessed and was deemed not to be viable.”
How Did The Attack Take Place?
Witnesses reported seeing a car driving erratically before a man got out and started attacking people with a knife. When it became clear what was happening, members of the congregation are said to have blockaded the doors to the synagogue.
The two dead victims were Jewish men, police confirmed, as they declared it a “terrorist incident”. Armed officers pointed their weapons at a man on the ground, warning people that the man had “a bomb on him” and urging bystanders to back away, BBC reported.
The suspect was later shot dead by police. Three people remained in the hospital with serious injuries. One was stabbed while another was hit by a car, and a third man “presented himself at the hospital with an injury that may have been sustained as officers stopped the attacker”.
GMP chief constable Sir Stephen Watson said there had been many worshippers inside the synagogue at the time of the incident, and praised the security staff and worshippers who had shut the attacker out, which prevented a worse tragedy.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the “barbaric attack”, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said targeting a synagogue on Yom Kippur was “particularly heinous.”
The attack came days ahead of the second anniversary of the October 7 attack on Israel, which has inflamed tensions in Britain, with a noted rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia. Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza has caused friction between the British and Israeli governments.
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
London, United Kingdom (UK)
October 03, 2025, 08:04 IST
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