The terrorist who attacked a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur was on bail for alleged rape, UK media reported Friday, as resurfaced Fb posts confirmed his father, who has condemned the assault, lauding the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023.
In what gave the impression to be the primary assertion linking the lethal assault to the conflict in Gaza, one eyewitness additionally informed the UK’s ITV News that the attacker, Jihad al-Shamie, shouted “that is what they get for killing our kids” as he tried to enter the Heaton Park Congregation on Yom Kippur.
The stories got here amid a vigil close to the positioning of the phobia assault, the place UK Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister David Lammy was jeered by viewers members demanding the federal government shut down pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protests.
Native residents Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, had been killed and three individuals had been severely wounded within the assault that happened on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
Shamie, a 35-year-old Syrian-born UK citizen, was fatally shot as he tried to power his manner into the synagogue. Daulby was apparently by accident shot useless by legislation enforcement as he helped barricade the door, police mentioned, applauding his heroism.
Based on UK media, Shamie was beneath investigation for a rape thought to have occurred earlier this 12 months, and was out on bail when he carried out the assault.
(L) Melvin Cravitz and (R) Adrian Daulby, killed October 2, 2025, throughout a terror assault on a synagogue in Manchester, England, in undated images (Higher Manchester Police)
A supply cited by The Guardian mentioned Shamie had a number of lesser prison convictions unrelated to terrorism. One other supply mentioned he was “on no one’s radar for terrorism however he positively had a prison file.”
UK police are additionally investigating if Shamie was behind a dying risk despatched in 2012 to then-Conservative MP John Howell, The Guardian mentioned.
Howell reportedly acquired an electronic mail signed “Jihad Alshamie” that mentioned, “It’s individuals such as you who should die.” The previous lawmaker mentioned he believes he was threatened resulting from his pro-Israel views.
Father condemns assault, praised Hamas on Oct. 7
Shamie’s household condemned his “heinous” assault on the synagogue, which they mentioned left them in “profound shock.”
“The information from Manchester relating to the terrorist assault concentrating on a Jewish synagogue has been a profound shock to us,” wrote father, Faraj al-Shamie, on Facebook. “The Al-Shamie household within the UK and overseas strongly condemns this heinous act, which focused peaceable, harmless civilians.
“We totally distance ourselves from this assault and categorical our deep shock and sorrow over what has occurred. Our hearts and ideas are with the victims and their households, and we pray for his or her power and luxury,” he wrote. “Could God have mercy on the harmless victims, and we pray for the swift restoration of the injured.”
Faraj Al-Shamie, father of the suspect in a lethal terror assault at a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur, October 2, 2025, seen in a video whereas working as a trauma surgeon in South Sudan 9 years earlier. (Youtube screenshot)
Hours afterward, UK newspaper The Times uncovered Fb posts by the terrorist’s surgeon father calling for Israel’s destruction and applauding Hamas’s invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the conflict in Gaza. Amid the conflict, Jews worldwide have skilled a pointy uptick in antisemitic assaults.
In a post from the day of the Hamas onslaught, Shamie hailed the terrorists invading Israel by land and air as “God’s males on earth,” including that they “show past a shadow of a doubt that Israel won’t stay.”
In a post three days later, he known as on Hamas to “launch the aged and kids. What you’ve gotten executed to date is a miracle by all requirements. Don’t hurt them in a second of anger. They don’t have any place in conflict.”
“Could God grant you victory, assist you, and information you to the correct path in a battle that historical past will file as the start of the liberation of Al-Aqsa, God keen,” he added.
Members of the Armed Forces work by a bomb disposal van as they put together a Harris T7 Multi-Mission Robotic inside a police cordon at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, on October 2, 2025 (Oli SCARFF / AFP)
Whereas expressing criticism of the Islamic Republic, he additionally celebrated Iran’s lethal missile strikes on Israel in the course of the two nations’ 12-day conflict in June, writing alongside footage of affect websites, “We’re ready for extra,” and “your items are being returned to you.”
Shamie’s posts present that he has labored as a trauma surgeon in conflict zones, together with in South Sudan in the course of the civil conflict there, the Occasions famous.
Sufferer was a ‘hero,’ household says
Higher Manchester Police on Friday praised Daulby for his heroic actions after he was apparently by accident shot useless by police whereas barricading the synagogue door in the course of the assault.
An earlier assertion had mentioned one of many worshippers was apparently shot useless by legislation enforcement, however didn’t determine the sufferer.
“Adrian was one of many courageous worshippers attending the synagogue on the time of the incident and prevented the attacker from having access to the premises,” police mentioned in a later assertion. “It’s at the moment believed that Adrian’s harm could sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unexpected consequence of the urgently required motion taken by our officers to convey a vicious assault to an finish.”
Daulby’s household mentioned within the assertion that he “was a hero and tragically misplaced his life within the act of braveness to avoid wasting others.”
Flowers and messages of condolence are pictured by a Police cordon on the primary street exterior Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, on October 3, 2025, following a lethal terror assault on the synagogue (Paul Currie / AFP)
“He was a beloved brother, loving uncle to his 4 nieces and one nephew and a cherished cousin. The household is shocked by the tragic, sudden dying of such a beautiful right down to earth man.
“His remaining act was one in every of profound braveness and he’ll without end be remembered for his heroic act,” the household mentioned.
Alan Levy, head of the Heaton Park Congregation’s board of trustees, informed ITV Information that he was one of many congregants who helped barricade the synagogue together with Daulby.
Alan Levy is the chair of trustees on the Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester, the place two individuals had been killed in a terror assault on Thursday.
He informed us how he ran to alert worshippers, blockading the door shut because the Al Shamie saved making an attempt to power his manner in. pic.twitter.com/famNrbfXmY
— Channel 4 Information (@Channel4News) October 3, 2025
Levy recalled listening to the attacker shouting, “That is what they get for killing our kids” as he tried to interrupt down the door.
Shamie was holding “an enormous knife, banging his knife into the glass, making an attempt to get by way of” the door, mentioned Levy.
“Our youngsters aren’t secure in colleges; we’ve to have guards. Our persons are not secure on the synagogue going to hope on the holiest day of our 12 months,” he mentioned, including: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the area people, Jewish and non-Jewish, who’ve supplied assist and assist to us on this time.”
Members of the neighborhood consolation one another close to Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, on October 2, 2025, following a lethal terrorist assault on the synagogue. (Paul Currie / AFP)
Following the assault, he mentioned, “We carried on our service on the police station once we went to offer our statements.”
“We can be carrying on our companies at one other venue, and we’re going to hold on,” mentioned Levy. “We’re going to be robust, and we’re not going to let this defeat us in any manner.”
Synagogue Rabbi Daniel Walker, who additionally helped barricade the door, informed ITV: “Half an hour into the prayers, I heard an almighty bang from exterior, shouting. Somebody was making an attempt to get in with a knife.”
“When he tried to get contained in the synagogue, there was numerous us making an attempt to carry him off,” Walker mentioned.
He mentioned Shamie was “shouting threats” as he tried to burst into the synagogue, the place the neighborhood was gathered for Yom Kippur companies to mark the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
Shamie was not profitable in his try to power his manner into the constructing, which Walker attributed to “the very, very courageous males, safety guard and volunteer [who] stopped him and blocked him actually with their our bodies and are nonetheless in hospital.
Rabbi Daniel Walker (3L) stands amongst armed law enforcement officials as they speak with members of the Jewish neighborhood exterior Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, on October 2, 2025, following a lethal terrorist assault on the synagogue. (Paul Currie / AFP)
Daulby “defended the synagogue along with his life,” mentioned Walker.
Requested by ITV about whether or not the conflict in Gaza has impacted day-to-day life in his neighborhood, Walker confirmed that they’ve “been feeling a lot much less safe.”
Nonetheless, he mentioned, “I didn’t suppose it could truly grow to be one thing bodily.”
Lammy jeered over Palestine rallies
In the meantime, former UK international minister Lammy was jeered as he vowed on the vigil exterior the synagogue on Friday to “stand in defiance of these terrorists who search to divide us.”
The Guardian reported that viewers members name out “disgrace on you,” “go to Palestine, go away us alone,” “you’ve allowed it to develop on the campuses” and “you’ve gotten blood in your palms” at Lammy as he took the stage.
At the very least one viewers member turned her again to Lammy as he spoke, in response to the outlet.
???????? WATCH: Deputy PM David Lammy is heckled whereas talking a vigil exterior the Manchester synagogue
“You enabled it, each Saturday [Gaza protests in London]”
“Empty phrases, we would like motion” pic.twitter.com/1eoZrMC34w
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) October 3, 2025
One former congregant, Joanne Lazarus, 61, was quoted telling the PA information company she didn’t suppose Lammy would care in regards to the response he acquired.
She mentioned she “can’t take” weekly pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protests and needs the federal government to close them down.
“I can’t take these marches each single Saturday,” she mentioned. “I’ve been into city on a Saturday and have been informed I’m a child killer and to ‘go residence’.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his spouse Victoria, who’s Jewish, visited the positioning of the assault within the morning. They might be seen shaking palms with emergency responders exterior the synagogue, a day after the premier vowed to “do every part in my energy” to guard Jews in Britain.
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his spouse Victoria arrive to satisfy emergency employees close to Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester, England, October 3, 2025, the place two individuals had been killed in a terror assault on Thursday. (AP Picture/Ian Hodgson)
UK Overseas Minister Yvette Cooper additionally initiated a name together with her Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar on Friday following the phobia assault in Manchester, in response to Sa’ar.
“I mentioned that this can be a decisive second within the UK’s personal historical past, for preserving its character, and it requires relentlessly combating the toxic antisemitic motion,” Sa’ar wrote on X. “I raised the necessity to struggle the pro-Palestinian marches and protests, which bear antisemitic traits, and at instances embody express assist for terror.”
Cooper mentioned within the name that her Labour Social gathering’s latest choice to acknowledge Israel’s conflict in Gaza as a genocide doesn’t “mirror the federal government’s coverage and the federal government dismissed them,” in response to an Israeli readout.
Nurit Yohanan contributed to this report.
