Manchester: Two men have been killed and five others injured in a brutal terror attack at a synagogue in Manchester during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Greater Manchester Police have named the victims as 53-year-old Adrian Daulby and 66-year-old Melvin Cravitz, both residents of the Crumpsall area. Formal identification is yet to be completed, but their families have been informed and are receiving support from family liaison officers.
The attack occurred on Thursday at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, when an assailant used a car to ram into the synagogue grounds before launching a stabbing rampage. The violent episode lasted approximately six minutes and ended when armed police shot the attacker twice, bringing the assault to a halt.
Three others were seriously injured, while two sustained minor injuries. Emergency services responded swiftly to the scene, and the wounded are being treated at nearby hospitals.
Police identified the attacker as 35-year-old Jihad al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent. Authorities confirmed that he acted alone during the assault but revealed that three other individuals — two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s — were arrested shortly after the attack on suspicion of the commission, preparation, and instigation of acts of terrorism.
“This was a targeted and deeply disturbing attack on a place of worship during a sacred time for the Jewish community,” said Assistant Chief Constable Sarah Heath of Greater Manchester Police. “Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the wider community. We are treating this as a terrorist incident.”
Postmortem examinations for the deceased victims are scheduled to take place on Friday.
Security has been increased at places of worship across Greater Manchester as police continue their investigation into the wider network potentially involved in the planning of the attack.
