The Manchester synagogue terrorist, Jihad al-Shamie, was out on bail for a suspected rape at the time of the attack, which claimed the lives of two Jewish people on Yom Kippur.
Police have so far arrested six people in connection with the knife and car terror attack by Syrian migrant Jihad al-Shamie, 35, who was killed by police after launching a deadly attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue on Thursday in which he drove a car into worshipers and then embarked on a stabbing spree, wearing a fake suicide vest.
While the Syrian-born British citizen was reportedly not on the government’s watch lists for suspected terrorists, the Greater Manchester Police have said that they believe that Al-Shamie was likely motivated by “extreme Islamist ideology”.
The GMP also confirmed to The Sun newspaper that he was previously arrested on suspicion of rape but was released on bail at the time of the synagogue attack.
The police force said in a statement: “We believe Al-Shamie may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology. Establishing the full circumstances of the attack is likely to take some time.
“We have now arrested three further people, one man and two women, aged between 18 and mid-40s. This brings the number of people in custody arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism to six.”
On Friday, the GMP also named the two slain victims as 53-year-old Adrian Daulby and 66-year-old Melvin Cravitz, both from Crumpsall. A further three victims remain hospitalised with serious injuries.
The government, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood have called on organisers of planned pro-Palestine protests to cancel their demonstrations over the weekend out of respect for the victims.
However, the Defend Our Juries group, which has been protesting against the proscription of Palestine Action as a banned terror group, said that it would not cancel its demonstrations, The Telegraph reported.
The left-wing Labour government has also faced critiques from the Jewish community over the terror attack, with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy being booed and heckled during a vigil for the victims of the synagogue attack on Friday.
The crowd, mostly comprised of Jewish residents of Manchester, are reported to have shouted at Lammy: “Go to Palestine”, “you are not wanted here”, “you have allowed this to happen”, “you have blood on your hands”, and “you are guilty, we do not want you speaking here today”.
The Starmer government has faced accusations of “rewarding terrorism” by recognising Palestine as a state while hostages remain in Gaza and the Islamist Hamas terrorists responsible for the October 7th terror attacks on Israel remain in control of the Gaza Strip.
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