The man who carried out the terror attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester last week pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group (IS) in a 999 call he made during the incident, according to Counter Terrorism Policing North West.
Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, called emergency services several minutes after the attack began last Thursday. During the call, he claimed responsibility for the incident and “pledged allegiance to Islamic State,” the force confirmed.
Al-Shamie was shot dead by police outside the Synagogue after he rammed a car into pedestrians, attacked them with a knife, and attempted to force his way into the building.
The attack, which occurred on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, is being treated as an act of terror, with investigators believing Al-Shamie was acting under the influence of Islamist ideology.
Two people died in the attack: Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53. Police stated that Daulby was tragically shot by an armed officer as he and other congregants barricaded the synagogue entrance to prevent Al-Shamie from entering. Three other men remain hospitalized with serious injuries.
Four suspects two men aged 30 and 32, and two women aged 46 and 61, remain in custody after police were granted five more days to hold them for questioning. An 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man were released with no further action.
A woman who had entered into an Islamic marriage with Al-Shamie prior to the attack claimed he exhibited abusive and controlling behavior.
She described him as “nice, then he was vile,” and accused him of constantly lying, including concealing his existing marriage to another woman with whom he had a child in Manchester. In one message, Al-Shamie admitted to his existing family, stating, “I do have a wife and a baby son at home.”
Following the attack, Al-Shamie’s father, Faraj Al-Shamie, released a statement expressing “profound shock”:
“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.”
