LIVE UPDATES: Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz named as victims of Manchester attack

Manchester synagogue terrorist was on bail for alleged rape, says Telegraph

Paper reports that Jihad al-Shamie, 35, was under investigation over an alleged sexual attack which is understood to have taken place earlier this year.

The Syrian-born British citizen is believed to have other criminal convictions, but he was not on the radar of Counter-Terrorism officers.

Why I shouted ‘Shame on you’ at Lammy

Joanne Lazarus, 61, from Whitefield, Bury, shouted “shame on you” and “you’re embarrassing” at David Lammy as he spoke at the vigil.

She said she wanted the Government to stop pro-Palestine marches taking place.

She told the PA news agency: “I took the chance to make my voice heard. I can’t take these marches every single Saturday.

“I’ve been into town on a Saturday and have been told I’m a baby killer and to ‘go home’.

“That hatred is felt through the whole of the UK and through what happened here yesterday. I knew it would happen.”

Ms Lazarus who attended the Heaton Park Shul when she was younger said she didn’t think Mr Lammy would “care” about the response he received at the vigil.

David Lammy heckled at Crumpsall vigil

The Deputy Prime Minister is introduced at the vigil currently taking place in north Manchester. Shouts of “Shame on you”, “You’re not welcome here”, and “Go to Palestine”.

“We do not want you speaking here today”, shouts someone else in the crowd, to scattered applause.

Metropolitan Police sends warning to Palestine Action supporters

Supporters of banned terror group Palestine Action who plan to protest on Saturday “should not think for a moment that their offending will go unpoliced”, the head of the Metropolitan Police said.

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “The horrific attack in Manchester has caused significant fear and concern in communities across the UK, including here in London.

“Yet at a time when we want to be deploying every available officer to ensure the safety of those communities, we are instead having to plan for a gathering of more than 1,000 people in Trafalgar Square on Saturday in support of a terrorist organisation.

“By deliberately choosing to encourage mass law breaking on this scale, Defend Our Juries are drawing valuable resources away from the communities of London at a time when they are needed most.

“People have been debating for the last two years whether pro-Palestinian protests are simply a call for peace, or have an implicit intention to stir up antisemitism. Continuing such protests within hours of Thursday’s awful terrorist murder of British Jews, when communities are most fearful, will likely create further tensions and some might say lacks sensitivity.

New £50k shul security funding announced to reassure Jewish Community of Hertsmere

Statement from leader of the council, Cllr Jeremy Newmark.

Defend Our Juries confirms Palestine Action event WILL go ahead

The group planning to stage a protest in central London in support of banned group Palestine Action has confirmed the event will still go ahead despite the police asking for it to be postponed.

A Defend Our Juries spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with everyone who has lost loved ones in the horrific attack on Heaton Park Synagogue and we stand in solidarity with the Jewish community across the UK.

“Our action tomorrow will see 1,500 people – including priests, vicars, pensioners and healthcare workers – peacefully sitting holding cardboard signs saying ‘I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action’.

“The police had called on us to cancel tomorrow’s protest before the disturbing news emerged that one of the victims at Heaton Park Synagogue was shot by the police.

“Many Jewish supporters of Defend Our Juries have warned that postponing tomorrow’s action would risk conflating the actions of state of Israel with Jewish people around the world, as Netanyahu seeks to do – who bear no responsibility for Israel’s crimes, which could fuel antisemitic hatred and prejudice. It couldn’t be clearer that tomorrow’s action – which is in Trafalgar Square and not near any synagogue – is about defying the Government’s absurdly authoritarian proscription of Palestine Action and the Government’s complicity in the genocide being committed by the Israeli Government.

“Cancelling peaceful protests lets terror win. It’s more important than ever to defend our democracy, including our fundamental rights to peaceful protest and freedom of speech, and to take A stand tomorrow against killing and against oppression, and for peace and justice for all.”

Flags at half mast at House of Commons

Chief Rabbi of Europe: ‘spare us the statements about fighting antisemitism and instead ensure Jews are safe’

Following the terrorist attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, President of the Conference of European Rabbis said:

“Jews in Manchester, England, woke up this morning to pray, and were murdered in their own synagogue. More needs to be done to stamp out murderous ideologies. Governments the world over should spare us the statements about fighting antisemitism and instead ensure Jews are safe.”

Manchester vigil today at 3pm

Prime Minister at Greater Manchester Police headquarters

Speaking at Greater Manchester Police headquarters where he thanked emergency services personnel for their work during the Crumpsall synagogue terror attack, Sir Keir Starmer said: “This was a dreadful attack, a terrorist attack to inflict fear. Attacking Jews because they are Jews.

“It’s really important today that the whole country comes together, people of all faiths and no faith, stand in support and solidarity with our Jewish community, and I know that your work will help to that end.”

The Prime Minister added: “We must defeat antisemitism, and that is the responsibility of all of us.

“It is the responsibility of Government and we will rise to that challenge and do all that we can to absolutely ensure that our Jewish community is safe and secure, and that we show them the strength of the support and solidarity that we have for them.

“That will be massively helped by what you have already done, what you’re continuing to do.”

Manchester Beth Din releases statement

The Jewish ecclesiastical court for Greater Manchester has released for the following statement:

“We wish to express our sympathy and solidarity with the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, and our friend and colleague Rabbi Daniel Walker, Rabbinical trustee of Manchester Beth Din. We understand that his quick thinking in barricading the synagogue door saved many lives. He is indeed a true hero.

“We are appalled that an atrocity such as this could occur to innocent Jews who just wanted to attend synagogue and pray, on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur. Many would have seen the terrible pictures of Rabbi Walker’s ‘kittel’, a white religious garment only worn on especially holy days, splashed with blood from the murdered victims.

“We have been extremely touched by the many messages of support from people far and wide, both Jewish and non-Jewish, which reminds us that there are many more united with us than those who seek division. Our hand of friendship is always extended to other Manchester faith communities, and we must continue to work together to stamp out all forms of hatred and racism.

“We are very grateful to the Police, CST and the various emergency services who dealt so quickly with the incident, preventing it from escalating even more.

“May the mourning families know no more sorrow, and may the injured have a full and speedy recovery. Amen.”

CST chief executive: ‘We will keep doing all we can in the protection of our community’

Mark Gardner thanks “all of those who support us in doing so.”

London commemoration for 7 October WILL go ahead on Sunday

Board of Deputies confirms vigil will go ahead as planned with enhanced CST and police presence.

Home Secretary: ‘This devastating terrorist attack is separate from events in the Middle East’

Shabana Mahmood spoke with LBC’s Nick Ferrari on Friday morning.
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PHOTO: Keir Starmer and his wife visit the scene of yesterday’s synagogue attack

Focus on Heaton Park

Heaton Park Synagogue is part of the heartland of the north Manchester Jewish community. It is steps away from Bury Old Road, which becomes Cheetham Hill Road, the main artery road into central Manchester.

The shul is at a crossroads known as Halfway House. On one corner there was the Talmud Torah; a few metres further on is a kollel and the King David School campus. Diagonally opposite the shul is a kosher bakery, State Fayre, while around the corner is Crumpsall Cemetery, a Jewish burial site.

Further north is Prestwich, home to the Holy Law Synagogue and the Prestwich Hebrew Congregation, (known as Shrubberies), and a number of Jewish shops and communal buildings. And Halfway House is also on the edge of a new and bustling Muslim community, many of whom occupy homes once owned by Jewish residents of the city.

Muslim leaders condemn Manchester synagogue attack

Muslim leaders, who recently signed the landmark Drumlanrig Accords between eleven major Muslim and Jewish denominations, have today condemned the attack on a synagogue in Manchester which saw two Jewish worshippers killed.

Imam Dr Sayed Razawi OBE, Chief Imam (Scotland), Imam Qari Asim MBE, Dr Khalifa Ezzat (Head Imam), Imam Sheikh Mohammad Ismail DL and Naushad Jivraj have issued the following statement.

“In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. The tragic events at a synagogue in Manchester, on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar and within a house of worship, have profoundly shaken our communities. The Qur’an teaches: “Whoever kills one soul, it is as if he has slain all of humanity”. Violence and hatred have no place in our society. The Drumlanrig Accords are a covenant – a moral contract – between Muslim and Jewish religious leaders in Britain to reject violence, uphold peace, and protect civilians of all backgrounds. They were not written to serve politics, but to serve God; not to protect power, but to protect life.

“The Accords affirm our shared duty to defend the sanctity of life – especially the lives of women, children, and the vulnerable – and to safeguard places of worship and education. These are the pillars of our communities, and their protection is a sacred trust.

“The Accords make clear that whilst we cannot control geopolitics, they enshrine our collective responsibility to prevent hatred from taking root in our own communities. We can ensure that mosques, synagogues, churches, and all places of worship remain sanctuaries of peace rather than targets of fear. The Prophet Muhammad taught: “A Muslim is the one from whose hand and tongue others are safe”.

“The Drumlanrig Accords provide a robust framework to resist all forms of anti-Muslim hatred and antisemitism and deepen cooperation between our diverse faith communities in the United Kingdom to build a society where all can live with dignity, safety, and freedom of belief.

“We stand in sorrow and solidarity with the families of the victims, holding them, and all who are affected, in our thoughts. We reaffirm our collective resolve: to stand together, to reject hatred, and to ensure that faith is never twisted into a weapon of harm.”

Imam Dr Sayed Razawi OBE, Chief Imam (Scotland)

Imam Qari Asim MBE

Dr Khalifa Ezzat (Head Imam)

Imam Sheikh Mohammad Ismail DL

Naushad Jivraj

Sadiq Khan: Our Jewish communities must be able to live and worship free from fear of harassment

Mayor of London confirms increased police presence in and around synagogues across the capital this weekend.

Terrorist who killed two at synagogue was Syrian granted UK citizenship in 2006

The terrorist who killed two Jewish men outside a synagogue on the holiest day of the religion’s calendar was a British citizen of Syrian descent, police have said.

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of planning a terror attack in connection with the killings carried out by Jihad Al-Shamie, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) added.

Al-Shamie, 35, who is understood to have entered the UK as a young child and been granted British citizenship in 2006 when he was around the age of 16, was shot dead by police seven minutes after officers were alerted to the attack in Crumpsall, Greater Manchester, on Thursday morning.

The force said two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

It is understood that Al-Shamie’s name has not appeared in initial searches of police and security service records, and he is not thought to have been under investigation.

GMP said officers were “working to understand the motivation behind the attack” and confirmed the killer had not been referred to the Government’s Prevent anti-radicalisation scheme.

He appears to have lived in Prestwich, around two miles from the scene.

His name is linked to a property in the town and a neighbour recognised his face from photographs of the synagogue attacker.

She told The Telegraph: “He lived there 10 years, with no wife or kids that I could see. He never seemed to speak to anyone around here.”

She added: “I’d see him walking around in his pyjamas and slip-on sandals, carrying a shopping bag.

“He was quite bulked up and used to keep his exercise weights in his garage. I’d see them there.”

Reports suggest Al-Shamie’s father is a doctor. A Facebook profile of a Faraj Al-Shamie features numerous political posts about Syria and also includes a picture of a man, reported to be Jihad Al-Shamie, holding a baby in 2024 with the words “great welcome grandson”.

A dramatic picture of Al-Shamie shows the moment he stood outside the synagogue with unidentified objects strapped to his waist, initially thought to be an explosive device which police later said was not viable.

Three men remain in hospital with serious injuries after Al-Shamie – who is yet to be formally identified – rammed into people with a car before stabbing a man outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.

Among the men in hospital, one was stabbed and a second was hit by the car.

A third man “presented himself at hospital with an injury that may have been sustained as officers stopped the attacker”, police said.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited an unnamed synagogue on Thursday evening after he vowed to do “everything in my power” to protect Jewish communities in the UK.

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said the terror attack was the “tragic result” of an “unrelenting wave of Jew hatred on our streets, campuses, on social media and elsewhere”.

He added: “This is the day we hoped we would never see, but which deep down, we knew would come.”

GMP Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson praised the “immediate bravery” of security staff and worshippers who shut the attacker out during what Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham described as a “horrific antisemitic attack”.

Sir Stephen said: “There were a large number of worshippers attending the synagogue at the time of this attack, but thanks to the immediate bravery of security staff and the worshippers inside, as well as the fast response of the police, the attacker was prevented from gaining access.”

Former Tory minister Sir Grant Shapps told The Times that his father-in-law, Michael Goldstone, came “face-to-face” with Al-Shamie from inside the synagogue, where he is a member of the congregation.

Sir Grant told the newspaper: ““He was face-to-face with the terrorist, holding the inside of the door, as he tried to break down the front doors.

“The chap had turned up 10 minutes earlier before the car came back and smashed into the security.

“They locked the doors when the car crashed into the gate, which prevented more killings.”

Speaking from Downing Street after a Cobra emergency committee meeting, Sir Keir condemned the “terrorist attack that attacked Jews because they are Jews”, which he said had been committed by “a vile individual”.

Addressing the Jewish community in the UK, he said: “I promise you that I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve, starting with a more visible police presence, protecting your community.”

Sir Keir said “additional police assets” would be deployed at synagogues across the country.

Elsewhere 40 people were arrested in Whitehall on Thursday evening during a protest organised by the Global Movement for Gaza UK, Scotland Yard said.

Posters shared on X called for pro-Palestine activists to meet at various locations around the UK between 5.30pm and 6pm on Thursday in support of Greta Thunberg’s flotilla, which was intercepted by the Israeli navy earlier this week.

One protester, Fiona Smith, 42, told The Telegraph: “I don’t give a f*** about the Jewish community right now.

“I thought about it and I’m sorry about what happened, but the whole story and why we’re here is because of what happened yesterday [with the flotilla].”

Pro-Palestine activists were also pictured marching through the streets of Manchester city centre on Thursday evening.

Family of attack suspect ‘strongly condemns heinous act’

The family of the suspect in the attack, Jihad Al-Shamie, have released a statement condemning the act.

“The news from Manchester regarding the terrorist attack targeting a Jewish synagogue has been a profound shock to us. The Al-Shamie family in the UK and abroad strongly condemns this heinous act, which targeted peaceful, innocent civilians. We fully distance ourselves from this attack and express our deep shock and sorrow over what has happened. Our hearts and thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we pray for their strength and comfort.”

Photo: Manchester synagogue terror suspect, Jihad Al-Shamie

Manchester: One of the victims killed by gunshot wound

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said one of the victims of the Manchester synagogue terror attack died after apparently being injured by a police gunshot.

He said full post-mortem examinations are scheduled for later today, adding: “The Home Office Pathologist has advised that he has provisionally determined, that one of the deceased victims would appear to have suffered a wound consistent with a gunshot injury.

“It is currently believed that the suspect, Jihad Al-Shamie, was not in possession of a firearm and the only shots fired were from GMP’s Authorised Firearms Officers as they worked to prevent the offender from entering the synagogue and causing further harm to our Jewish community.

“It follows therefore, that subject to further forensic examination, this injury may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by my officers to bring this vicious attack to an end.

“We have also been advised by medical professionals that one of the three victims currently receiving treatment in hospital, has also suffered a gunshot wound, which is mercifully not life-threatening.

“It is believed that both victims were close together behind the synagogue door, as worshippers acted bravely to prevent the attacker from gaining entry.”

Former British army officer raises nearly £10k for CST

Research fellow Andrew Fox has raised nearly £10k following what he described as the “murderous attack on a synagogue in Manchester.”

He says it is more important than ever for good people to show solidarity with the Jewish community, which has faced what he calls “relentless antisemitic attacks since 7th October.”

All funds raised will go directly to the Community Security Trust (CST), the charity dedicated to protecting the Jewish community from antisemitism and terrorism.

Counterterrorism police investigate whether synagogue attacker made death threats to an MP

According to a report in The Times:

“John Howell, who was the Conservative MP for Henley until last year, received threatening emails in 2012 after he spoke about Israel’s right to defend itself when it came under rocket fire.

One of them was from a “Jihad Alshamie”, who told him: “It is people like you who deserve to die.”

The Times understands that the letter will form part of Greater Manchester police’s investigation into Thursday’s synagogue attack, in which two people were fatally stabbed. Officers will try to determine whether the attacker, named by police last night as Jihad al-Shamie, is the same person who wrote to Howell in 2012.”

Jihad Al-Shamie ‘lived with mother father and brothers’

Geoff Haliwell, 72, who lives close to Jihad Al-Shamie’s home in Prestwich said the property used to be on his window cleaning round.

Mr Haliwell said he believed the Al-Shamie family had lived at the address for around 20 years including his mother, father and brothers.

He said the father had lived there for five or six years then left the home but would visit in a car with French number plates.

He said Jihad Al-Shamie would sometimes wear western clothes and other times “traditional” Syrian dress. He also said Jihad Al-Shamie would use benches to work out.

He added: “I would see him at least once or twice a week, we just said ‘hello’.

“I didn’t even know his name.

“He was just a straightforward, ordinary lad, nothing would stand out to make you think he was…”

Prime Minister has visited Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has visited Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue where two people died in a terror attack on Thursday.

Sir Keir held hands with his wife Lady Victoria Starmer as they met police officers at the scene of the attack.

The couple also visited a London synagogue on Thursday night.

New Archbishop of Canterbury: Church has ‘responsibility’ to stand with Jews

Newly named Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally has said the Church of England has a “responsibility” to stand with the Jewish community against antisemitism after the attack in synagogue Manchester on Thursday.

She said: “Mindful of the horrific violence of yesterday’s attack on a synagogue in Manchester, we are witnessing hatred that rises up through fractures across our communities.

“I know that the God who is with us draws near to those who suffer.

“We, then, as a church, have a responsibility to be a people who stand with the Jewish community against antisemitism in all its forms.

“Hatred and racism of any kind cannot be allowed to tear us apart.”

Lord Walney: We need to see leadership from Andy Burnham about the planned Palestine protest in Manchester tomorrow

Cross-bench peer adds: “I hope Labour will instruct its elected representatives to play no part in these demonstrations.”

The Sun: Synagogue attacker ‘an unmarried recluse who was previously not known to authorities’

British Muslim Aziz Foundation statement on Manchester attack

The Aziz Foundation, working with British Muslims through education, has said the following: “Everyone at The Aziz Foundation would like to express our deep condolences to the Jewish community in Manchester and around the country. We have been blessed with Jewish family, friends and colleagues.  To see this horrific terror attack unfold on the occasion of Yom Kippur, in the country that we all call home, fills us with deep sadness. We send our love and prayers to those directly affected by this attack. We stand with you.”

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis: ‘Our hearts are shattered’

The full statement:

“Our hearts are shattered. Emerging from the holy fast of Yom Kippur, British Jews are now grasping the full extent of today’s terror attack at the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester. This is the day we hoped we would never see, but which deep down, we knew would come. For so long we have witnessed an unrelenting wave of Jew hatred on our streets, on campuses, on social media and elsewhere – this is the tragic result. This not only an assault on the Jewish community, but an attack on the very foundations of humanity and the values of compassion, dignity and respect which we all share. I have spoken this evening to Rabbi Daniel Walker, the spiritual leader of the Heaton Park Synagogue. His courageous leadership, together with the resilience of his congregation, are an inspiration to us all. May the victims’ memories be for a blessing and may the injured be granted a swift recovery. I pray that this tragedy strengthens our collective resolve to confront antisemitism, in all its guises, once and for all.”

Home Secretary calls for pro-Palestine protests to be cancelled

Shabana Mahmood tells Sky News those who gathered after the attack were behaving in a “fundamentally un-British” and “dishonourable” way.

LBC’s Nick Ferrari: Keir Starmer ‘has not done enough’ to combat antisemitism

In the wake of the Manchester synagogue attack, LBC presenter Nick Ferrari has said “The Prime Minister has to look at himself this morning”, adding he thinks Keir Starmer ‘has not done enough’ to combat antisemitism.

Home Secretary: Violence at pro-Palestinian demos ‘very unbritish’, rethink protesting this weekend

Shabana Mahmood has said she was “very disappointed” that demonstrations against Israel went ahead last night, saying the violence of some “feels very unbritish, wrong”.

Police were attacked outside Downing Street as protesters descended on central London hours after the attack in Manchester.

While she stressed the right to protest was ingrained in law, Mahmood urged those planning to join protests this weekend to think again. “Imagine you’d lost a loved one in a terror attack. Give this community a  time to grieve and to process what happened.”

Shabana Mahmood: The person responsible for the attack is the attacker

Speaking on BBC breakfast, Shabana Mahmood responded to attacks from Israeli ministers on Keir Starmer’s response to antisemitism and incitement. “Lets be clear – the person responsible for the attack is the attacker,” she said.

She also said it was too early to determine that the attacker and the other three people arrested represented a terror cell.

Funerals expected in Manchester today

Jewish guidance relating to burials means that the dead are usually buried as soon as possible. Barring any forensic investigation by the police, that means it is likely that those murdered in yesterday’s terror attack will be buried today.

May their memories be for blessing.

No known link to Prevent

Jihad al-Shamie, who gained citizenship in 2006, had no known referrals to anti-extremist body Prevent

Two victims of shul attack named

The men who were murdered outside Heaton Park Synagogue have been named as Adrian Daulby, 53 , and Melvin Cravitz, 66

Home Office post-mortems will take place later this morning.

Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes, who’s co-ordinating the casualty response, said: “My deepest sympathies are with Mr Daulby and Mr Cravitz’s loved ones at this extremely hard time.

“Specially trained Family Liaison Officers are in contact with them. They will continue to update them on the investigation and support them throughout the coronial process

“Whilst there are processes which must be followed, we commit to being mindful of cultural preferences and sensitivities and to ensuring that these men and their loved ones’ wishes are respected.”

Flags in Houses of Parliament to fly at half mast

Jewish News understands that Speaker of the House, Lindsay Hoyle, has asked that flags in the House of Commons be lowered in memory of the victims of Manchester. They will remain so until 8pm tomorrow night.

Kemi Badenoch at Westmister shul

The Conservative leader has paid a solidarity visit to Westminster Synagogue tonight – saying: “I stand with Britain’s Jewish community in grief, in strength and in the fight against antisemitism.”

Visiting with the shul’s president Lord Leigh, she took to X: “Terrorism is not just an attack on individuals. It is an attack on our whole community and the freedoms we hold dear. It aims to sow fear and drive division. We cannot allow it to succeed.

“Britain must be a place where Jewish people can live freely and proudly, as an integral part of our national life.”

Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, Yvette Cooper visit London shul after Yom Kippur

The prime minister has been joined by his wife, chancellor and foreign secretary on a solidarity visit to a London synagogue tonight.

In a further sign of the security threats faced by shuls across the country, the community they visited has b=not been revealed.

It’s almost two years to the day when the last PM, Rishi Sunak, visited a shul to support the community in the hours after 7 October attacks.

Fania Oz-Salzberger: I’m not blaming Starmer for recognising Palestine

Writer and commentator Fania Oz asked on Sky News about condemnation of Keir Starmer from the Israeli government in the wake of the Manchester attack.

“I am not in the business of blaming PM Keir Starner for recognising a Palestinian state because as long as that is doing in the context of the two-state solution, that is a Zionist idea.

“However, any forgiving attitude that your government and police have taken to street level antisemitic crimes over the last two years is dangerous.” She refers specifically to calls for ‘globalising the intifada’ at pro-Palestinian demos.

Police update on injuries

A Manchester Police statement said:

“Three other men remain in hospital with serious injuries. One sustained a stab wound and a second was struck by the car involved in the attack.

The third man later presented himself at hospital with an injury that may have been sustained as officers stopped the attacker.

We are working to formally identify those who have tragically been killed and provide support to their loved ones, in addition to the injured and the wider community.

We are working to understand the motivation behind the attack as the investigation continues.”

Suspect named

Jihad- Al-Shamie is named by Manchester police as the suspect in the Manchester shul attack. He is a British citizen of Syrian descent.

Three others – two men and a woman – have been arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council statement

The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council said the Manchester attack “was sadly something we feared was coming” at a time of rising antisemitism in the UK.

They urged members of the Jewish community to carefully follow instructions from the Community Security Trust charity, police and other authorities.

In a statement, they said: “As we emerge from the fast of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in our calendar, many in our community will only now be learning of the horrific attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester. We are devastated at the loss of two members of our Jewish community, and our thoughts are with their families, those who are injured and receiving treatment, and all those who have been affected by this act of antisemitic terror.

“Our communal organisations are working in close coordination with one another and with all relevant authorities including government and police.

“We urge all members of our community to carefully follow instructions from the CST, police and other authorities, intended to keep us safe. We are grateful to the police and the synagogue’s security team for their courageous action, as well as that of other emergency responders, which undoubtedly prevented further tragedy.

“We thank the Government for its swift response, and His Majesty the King, the Prime Minister and other senior politicians for their expressions of support. We are also thankful for the widespread solidarity expressed for the Jewish community from across our diverse society, including faith and belief leaders from across the spectrum.

“At this dark time, these acts of solidarity will be a comfort to our community. At a time of rising antisemitism in the UK, this attack was sadly something we feared was coming. We call on all those in positions of power and influence to take the required action to combat hatred against Jewish people, and will be working with the authorities on a series of additional measures to protect our community over the coming days.”

Community Security Trust: “We will do everything we can to strengthen further the protection”

Mark Gardner, chief executive of the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity that protects the Jewish community from antisemitism, said his organisation will do “everything that we can to strengthen the protection of our Jewish communities”.

In a video statement posted on X, Mr Gardner said: “On behalf of everyone at CST, I send our prayers and our deepest, deepest sympathies to the families, the loved ones, of those lost in today’s terrorist attack at Heaton Park synagogue in the heart of the Jewish community in North Manchester.

“I praise the courage of the CST personnel, the commercial security guards and the synagogue congregants whose speedy reactions, and whose use of the security doors of the synagogue have prevented even more casualties than those who were cruelly lost.

“I thank the police for their swift reaction in neutralising the terrorist. We will work in the coming days with our Jewish community in North Manchester and with Jewish communities all across the UK, with the police, with the Government, we will do everything that we can to strengthen further the protection of our Jewish communities, to ensure that Jewish life can continue and that British Jews, British Jews, can lead the life of their choice, as they must be able to do.

“Thank you for joining us in this mission, and thank you for supporting and cooperating with our ongoing security efforts.”

Rob Rinder: ‘A community this small cannot stand alone’

Criminal barrister and TV personality Rob Rinder said in a post to X: “On the holiest day of the year we are attacked at a Manchester synagogue. Our children walk to school behind barbed wire protected by guns.

“Yet some still answer this atrocity with ‘what about…’ This is my country, the sanctuary my grandfather found after surviving the Holocaust, promising freedom under the rule of law.

“Today I pray for the victims, thank the brave who responded and wonder if that promise is fading. A community this small cannot stand alone.

“If you believe in Britain (wherever you’re from and whatever your faith) you must stand with us. Many Jews cannot imagine a future here and history tells us what follows when that happens.”

Emma Barnett ‘crying for the community’ after terror attack at her old synagogue

BBC radio presenter Emma Barnett has said she cried for her community after learning of the terror attack which took place outside the Greater Manchester synagogue she worshipped at as a child.

Manchester-born Barnett, 40, who presents BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, said she has not been to the temple in Crumpsall since she was 16 but still remembers “proudly holding my mum’s hand going to sit in the women’s gallery”.

In a Times column she wrote: “I saw the news alert flash up on my phone as I was leaving the BBC after presenting the Today programme.

“My stomach dropped and churned. A killing at a synagogue? A place I should have been today and was at only a few days earlier celebrating Rosh Hashanah and taking our son and daughter to cheder, their Sunday school.

“My seven-year-old boy doesn’t even ask about the airport-style security when we go in – it’s all he’s ever seen.

“And then I realised the attack happened at my shul from my youth and felt very, very strange indeed.”

Barnett said her friends’ parents in Manchester were locked in a synagogue, explaining: “No one in my little corner of Manchester who is already inside a shul is being allowed to leave.”

Greater Manchester Police said two members of the Jewish community died and four other people remain in hospital in a serious condition following the attack – and confirmed a bomb disposal unit was sent to the synagogue.

Barnett said: “My tears fall softly on the street outside my home, helping me to pierce the news wall I’ve built and absorb the dawning reality.

“I cry for the community. I cry for the people who have been killed and their families. I cry out of fear and for what such hate can do. But I also cry out of sheer rage, indignation and horror.”

Greater Manchester mayor: Manchester stands with the Jewish community

The Mayor of Greater Manchester condemned the terrorist attack on a synagogue in the city as “an horrific antisemitic attack on our Jewish friends and neighbours” and urged people to “stand together in these difficult times”.

Giving a statement to reporters at the scene, Andy Burnham said: “Tonight, our first thoughts are with the families of those people who died, those injured and those traumatised by this, an horrific antisemitic attack on our Jewish friends and neighbours. We condemn it outright.

“Greater Manchester will never stand aside when one of our communities is attacked.

“We ask everyone to show solidarity to the Jewish community this weekend, and already, we’ve mobilised through our interfaith network messages of support and solidarity through places of worship.”

He added: “We always will stand together here in Greater Manchester, and we will never let acts that are designed to cause hatred, division in our communities, violence – we will never let them succeed, and that’s our message tonight to everybody across Greater Manchester: Do not let them succeed. Respond by reaching out, by redoubling efforts to work together and stand together in these difficult times.”

Home Secretary: We will do whatever is required to keep Jewish community safe

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said the Government “will do whatever is required to keep our Jewish community safe”.

She said: “I am horrified by the antisemitic terrorist attack at a synagogue on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

“My prayers are with the victims and the families of all of those who are murdered here today.

“I want to thank the police and all of the emergency services for the speed of their response and also for their considerable bravery.

“The Government has stepped up security at synagogues across the whole of the country, and we will do whatever is required to keep our Jewish community safe.

“I know that there are many questions that are still to be answered, and rest assured, they will be answered as quickly as possible, it will just take a little time for us to establish exactly what has happened here, but we will share more information as soon as we are able to.

“What I do want to say is to those who seek to divide us, they will fail.”

Israeli President warned King Charles: ‘UK overrun with anti-Jewish hatred’

Isaac Herzog: “Just a few days ago I wrote a letter to His Majesty King Charles III, stressing my deep worry and concern over the rise of antisemitism and anti-Israel hatred in the UK, and in other Commonwealth countries including Australia and Canada. Today’s tragic events have sadly demonstrated how real and tangible this threat is, and how imperative it is to act against it with full force and without compromise.”

Netanyahu: I warned at UN: weakness in face of terror brings more terror

Prime Minister Netanyahu says on X, “As I warned at the UN: weakness in the face of terrorism only brings more terrorism. Only strength and unity can defeat it.” He adds: “Israel grieves with the Jewish community in the UK after the barbaric terror attack in Manchester.”

Faith leaders warn of ‘growing tide of religious hatred’

A “growing tide of religious hatred” cannot be ignored, an imam has said in the wake of the Manchester synagogue attack as he warned violence in the Middle East “must not be allowed to poison our streets in Britain”.

The fatal incident as Jewish people observed the holiest day in their religious calendar has been roundly condemned by various faith and community leaders.

No official information has been released on the attacker’s background, religion or possible motivation.

The Church of England’s current most senior bishop Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said he was “very shocked” to hear what had happened and was praying that “all may live alongside each other in harmony and respect”.

Echoing this, the leader of Catholics in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, said: “It is a duty of us all to work together to ensure a more cohesive and respectful society, one in which such violence and inhumanity have no place.”

Police urge Scots to be vigilant after synagogue attack

Police Scotland have urged people to be vigilant following a terror attack at a synagogue in Manchester. The force said Scots should be “alert but not alarmed” and stressed there was “no intelligence to suggest any specific threat in Scotland”.

Badenoch: Jews in Britain have faced climate of intimidation and fear

The Jewish community in Britain has faced “an increase in the climate of intimidation and fear,” Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said.

She told the PA news agency: “I’m absolutely horrified by these attacks.

“I think it’s a disgusting and vile act. I cannot imagine how tough it must be for all the people affected. And my condolences go out to the families of the people who’ve lost their lives and those who are so seriously injured.

“And one of my core beliefs is that we need to make sure that Britain is a safe country for Jewish people. Many people fled the Holocaust in Europe. They found sanctuary in the UK. We need to make sure that we continue to be a safe place for Jewish people.

“And we what we have seen over the last few years, especially since October 7, is an increase in the climate of intimidation and fear, an increase in antisemitism.

“And I pay tribute to Manchester Police for getting there as quickly as they did, and also to the community in the synagogue for fighting off the attacker and protecting themselves.”

Prime Minister: ‘Britain will wrap its arms around the Jewish community’

The Prime Minister says: “To every Jewish person in this country, I want to say this. I know how much fear you will be holding inside of you. I really do.

“And so on behalf of our country, I express my solidarity, but also my sadness that you still have to live with these fears. Nobody should have to do that. Nobody.

“And so I promise you that I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve, starting with a more visible police presence, protecting your community.

“I promise you that over the coming days, you will see the other Britain, the Britain of compassion, of decency, of love.

“And I promise you that this Britain will come together to wrap our arms around your community and show you that Britain is a place where you and your family are safe, secure and belong.”

Community Security Trust statement

Statement from Twitter/X London Metropolitan Police

Update regarding incident at north Manchester synagogue.
Please follow Greater Manchester Police and CST social media for any further updates.

Israel’s foreign affairs minister: Jews in Britain facing a ‘horrific wave of antisemitism’.

Israel’s foreign affairs minister Gideon Sa’ar said the Jewish community of Britain is facing a “horrific wave of antisemitism”.

In a post on social media site X, he wrote: “I am appalled by the murderous attack near the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester on the morning of the holiest day for the Jewish people: Yom Kippur.

“My deepest condolences go to the families who have lost their loved ones, and I wish a swift and full recovery to the injured.

“I stand with the wonderful Jewish community of Britain, which is currently suffering from a horrific wave of antisemitism.

“The truth must be told: blatant and rampant antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement, as well as calls of support for terror, have recently become a widespread phenomenon in the streets of London, in cities across Britain, and on its campuses.

“The authorities in Britain have failed to take the necessary action to curb this toxic wave of antisemitism and have effectively allowed it to persist.

“We expect more than words from the Starmer government. We expect and demand a change of course, effective action, and enforcement against the rampant antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement in Britain.”

Prince and Princess of Wales: ‘We are thinking of the entire community’

The Prince and Princess of Wales said in a personal message posted on social media: “Our thoughts are with the victims and the families of the terrible attack at Heaton Park Synagogue.

“The fact that this tragedy occurred on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more shocking.

“We are thinking of the entire community as well as the emergency responders who attended this terrible incident.”

The message was signed “W & C”.

‘Armed officers shot suspect twice, once after he tried to get up’

A witness told BBC Radio Manchester he saw the armed police officers shoot the suspect twice, once after he tried to get back up off the ground.

The speaker, named as Gareth, told the station that he was driving in the area making deliveries when he saw what he thought initially was a car crash.

He said: “We got a bit closer, we’ve seen a guy bleeding out on the floor. He was just basically unconscious on the floor, presumed, obviously dead.

“There was a guy in front of the car – he just lay on the floor. We couldn’t really see him.

“There was a few people stood on the road, somebody shouted ‘He’s in the school’ or the synagogue.

“And then as we looked over, the guy had a knife, and he was just stabbing the window trying to get in the school. And then within seconds, the police arrived.

“They give him a couple of warnings, he didn’t listen, so they opened fire. He went down on the floor, and then he started getting back up, and then they shot him again.”

Both Manchester football clubs release statements

Manchester United said: “The thoughts of everyone at Manchester United are with the victims of today’s tragic events in north Manchester and we offer our support to all those affected. #ACityUnited.”

And Manchester City said: “We are shocked and saddened by the tragic events which took place in Manchester this morning, and we are sending our support and condolences to all those affected during this difficult time.”

Chief constable thank shul security staff

The chief constable of Greater Manchester Police has thanked security staff and worshippers at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue for their bravery.

Reading a statement to a press conference, Sir Stephen Watson said: “There were a large number of worshippers attending the synagogue at the time of this attack, but thanks to the immediate bravery of security staff and the worshippers inside, as well as the fast response of the police, the attacker was prevented from gaining access.

“All those inside were safely contained until police were able to confirm that it was safe to leave the premises. Yom Kippur is a day where we see our Jewish community attending their places of worship, places where they and their families should feel entirely safe from harm.”

DUP leader Gavin Robinson has voices support for the Jewish community

Speaking to reporters in Belfast, he said: “I recognise today that as we stand here there has been an atrocity in Manchester involving the Jewish community.

“And on this holy day of theirs of Yom Kippur I think it’s important that we send our best wishes to the families and the community, not only affected in Manchester, but also to our small community that feels under threat in Belfast as well, of our Jewish neighbours that worship in our city and worship in this country, which should have a proud history and record of freedom of religion and freedom from persecution.”