Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, has been named as the killer behind the horrific Yom Kippur attack at Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester. The British-Syrian man launched a brutal car and knife assault, murdering two Jewish worshippers and injuring three others on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Armed police shot Al-Shamie dead just minutes after he rammed crowds and stabbed a man outside the synagogue, ending the bloodbath.
Police Launch Manhunt as Suspects Arrested
Greater Manchester Police have arrested two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s, suspected of plotting linked terror attacks. Investigators found no prior warning signs or security flags on Al-Shamie.
Bomb experts examined a device he wore, initially feared to be a suicide vest, but declared it was fake and non-functional.
Community in Shock as Leaders Call for Unity
The Jewish community reels in grief as victim ID and support efforts ramp up. Prime Minister and opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer slammed rising antisemitism, lauding emergency services for averting further disaster.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack as “barbaric” and said: “Our hearts are with the families of the murdered, and we pray for the swift recovery of the wounded.”
Synagogue Rabbi Hailed Hero After Lockdown
Rabbi Daniel Walker blocked the synagogue doors, stopping the attacker from causing even more carnage inside. Worshippers stayed calm and carried on with parts of the Yom Kippur service despite the terror.
Originally published on UKNIP