Suspect identified in terror attack on UK synagogue

A deadly onslaught astatine a synagogue successful bluish England connected nan holiest day of nan twelvemonth for Jewish group has been declared a "terrorist incident".

Police arrested 2 group and changeable dormant nan suspected attacker aft 2 members of nan Jewish organization were killed successful Manchester, and 4 others were earnestly injured, successful what was quickly dubbed a "major incident".

Authorities said nan man believed responsible for nan onslaught was a 35-year-old British national of Syrian descent named Jihad Al-Shamie. Police besides said that 3 group were arrested connected suspicion of acts of terrorism.

They are 2 men successful their 30s and a female successful her 60s.

The business unfolded extracurricular Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue astir 9.30am connected Thursday (6.30pm AEST) erstwhile a man, apparently wearing an explosive belt, drove a car astatine a group of group and past attacked them pinch a knife.

Counter-Terrorism Policing caput Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said his portion had "declared this arsenic a violent incident" and made 2 arrests.

"Those who person been killed and injured are astatine nan forefront of our minds, arsenic are their families, friends and each of those who emotion them," he said successful a connection to media.

"An onslaught connected our Jewish organization coming connected Yom Kippur is devastating. 

"Communities crossed nan UK would usually beryllium marking this beatified time are now grieving and worried astir their safety."

Greater Manchester Police said firearms officers changeable nan suspected attacker wrong 7 minutes of a man calling emergency services to study nan incident.

It took immoderate clip to corroborate whether nan fishy was dormant because of concerns he had explosives connected him.

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson praised nan bravery of information officers and worshippers for stopping nan man entering nan synagogue.

"We cognize that a car was driven straight astatine members of nan nationalist extracurricular nan Heaton Park Hebrew congregation synagogue connected Middleton Road, Crumpsall, successful Manchester," he said.

"The driver of nan car was seen past to onslaught group pinch a knife.

"He was wearing astir his assemblage a vest which had nan quality of an explosive device."

Social media imagination from extracurricular nan synagogue, broadcast by nan BBC, showed a constabulary serviceman shouting "he has a bomb, spell away" earlier nan fishy was shot.

There was a large sound astatine nan segment arsenic constabulary "specialist resources gained introduction to nan suspect's conveyance arsenic a precaution".

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced nan "vile" assailant who "attacked Jews because they are Jews".

He promised nan Jewish organization that he would do "everything successful my powerfulness to guarantee you nan information that you deserve, starting pinch a much visible constabulary presence".

"I committedness you that complete nan coming days, you will spot nan different Britain, nan Britain of compassion, of decency, of love," Starmer said.

"I committedness you that this Britain will travel together to wrap our arms astir your organization and show you that Britain is simply a spot wherever you and your family are safe, unafraid and belong."

A constabulary spokesperson said nan work was successful interaction pinch each nan synagogues crossed nan region.

"We cognize today's horrifying attack, connected nan Jewish community's holiest day, will person caused important daze and fearfulness passim each of our communities," they said.

"We are grateful to nan personnel of nan nationalist whose speedy consequence to what they witnessed allowed our swift action, and arsenic a consequence nan offender was prevented from entering nan synagogue."

Police asked group to stock video aliases photos of nan onslaught pinch them alternatively of connected societal media. 

A ample number of worshippers who had been held wrong pursuing nan incident were evacuated aft nan area was made safe, constabulary said. 

"This is each Rabbi's aliases each Jewish person's worst nightmare," said Rabbi Jonathan Romain, of Maidenhead Synagogue and caput of nan Rabbinic Court of Great Britain.

"Not only is this a ineffable day, nan astir ineffable successful nan Jewish calendar, but it's besides a clip of wide gathering, and nan clip erstwhile nan Jewish community, nevertheless belief aliases irreligious, gathers together."

Witnesses picture seeing a man 'stabbing anyone adjacent him'

Chava Lewin, who lives adjacent to nan synagogue, said she heard a bang and thought it mightiness beryllium a firework until her hubby ran wrong their location and said location had been a "terrorist attack".

A witnesser told her that she saw a car driving erratically clang into nan gates of nan location of worship.

"She thought possibly he had a bosom attack," Lewin said.

"The 2nd he sewage retired of nan car he started stabbing anyone adjacent him. He went for nan information defender and tried to break into nan synagogue."

Video connected societal media showed constabulary pinch guns pointed astatine a personification lying connected nan crushed beneath a bluish Star of David connected nan ceramic wall of nan synagogue.

A bystander could beryllium heard connected nan video saying nan man had a explosive and was trying to detonate it. When nan man tried to guidelines up, a gunshot rang retired and he fell to nan ground.

Manchester was nan tract of Britain's deadliest onslaught successful caller years, nan 2017 termination bombing astatine an Ariana Grande performance that killed 22 people.

Authorities state an emergency

Police "declared PLATO," nan nationalist code-word utilized by constabulary and emergency services erstwhile responding to a "marauding panic attack".

Starmer flew backmost to nan UK from a acme of European leaders successful Copenhagen to chair a gathering of nan government's emergency committee, COBRA.

"I'm appalled by nan onslaught astatine a synagogue successful Crumpsall," he said connected X.

"The truth that this has taken spot connected Yom Kippur, nan holiest time successful nan Jewish calendar, makes it each nan much horrific. 

"My thoughts are pinch nan loved ones of each those affected, and my acknowledgment spell to nan emergency services and each nan first responders."

King Charles said he and Queen Camilla were "deeply shocked and saddened to study of nan horrific attack" and shared their "thoughts and prayers are pinch each those affected".

The Prince and Princess of Wales wrote a connection connected societal media condemning nan onslaught connected nan beatified time and supporting first responders.

The North West Ambulance Service besides declared a awesome incident astatine nan segment connected Middleton Road successful Crumpsall.

"We are presently assessing nan business and moving pinch different members of nan emergency services," nan spot said successful a statement.

"Our privilege is to guarantee group person nan aesculapian thief they request arsenic quickly arsenic possible."

Antisemitic incidents successful nan UK person soared pursuing Hamas' October 7, 2023, onslaught connected Israel and Israel's ensuing subject run successful Gaza, according to Community Security Trust, an defense group for British Jews that useful to destruct anti-Semitism.

More than 1500 incidents were reported successful nan first half of nan year, nan second-highest reported since nan grounds group a twelvemonth earlier.

The Community Security Trust, which monitors antisemitism successful nan UK, said it was moving pinch constabulary and nan section Jewish community.

"This appears to beryllium an appalling onslaught connected nan holiest time of nan Jewish year," it said successful a station connected X. 

"We convey nan GMP officers and synagogue information who responded instantly to woody pinch nan incident."

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said he wanted to recognise really nan city's Jewish organization was feeling.

"Today is Yom Kippur, arsenic I understand, and obviously, I deliberation that explains why group were around, why location was a number of group gathered extracurricular nan synagogue, and, you know, while tons of group were attending a service," he told BBC Radio Manchester.

"So we understand this is simply a business that astir apt is linked to nan truth that it's Yom Kippur, you know, a time of ceremony for nan Jewish community."

- Reported pinch Associated Press

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