The man who carried out an attack killing two people at a synagogue where worshippers marking Yom Kippur in Manchester on Thursday has been named. Authorities said he was believed to be Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent.
Greater Manchester Police have said three people have been arrested and have declared it a "terror related" incident.
Two men were killed on Thursday when a man drove a car into pedestrians and stabbed a security guard at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the Crumpsall district of the city in northern England.
One of the victims killed was shot by police during their attempts to bring the attacker, who was not carrying a gun, under control, officers said on Friday in a statement.
"It is currently believed that the suspect, Jihad Al Shamie, was not in possession of a firearm and the only shots fired were from GMP's Authorised Firearms Officer," the Greater Manchester Police statement said.
"It follows therefore that, subject to further forensic examination, this injury may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by my officers to bring this vicious attack to an end."
Police added that one of those injured and currently receiving treatment in hospital also suffered a gunshot wound.
Both people believed to have been shot were behind the synagogue doors.
The suspect, who was wearing what appeared to be a vest with an explosive device, was shot dead at the scene by armed officers.
Manchester attack declared terrorist incident
A video shared on social media and verified by Reuters showed police officers shooting a man inside the synagogue’s perimetre, while another man lay on the floor in a pool of blood, appearing to wear a traditional Jewish head covering.
"He has a bomb, go away!" an armed police officer shouted to onlookers, just seconds before a gunshot rang out.
Neighbour Angela Crawshaw told that she had seen three policemen aiming guns at a man in the car park of the synagogue, telling him: "Stay down, don't move or we'll shoot."
A bomb disposal unit was later called to the scene, but police confirmed the device that the suspect was wearing was not viable.
Police said they were working to understand the motivation behind the attack, and said they could find no records that the suspect had been referred previously to the country's counter-radicalisation scheme, Prevent.
Britain's most senior counter-terrorism officer, Laurence Taylor, said it had been declared a terrorist incident.
Two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s have been arrested on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 10% global tariffs have come into effect, hours after the Supreme Court blocked many of his sweeping import taxes ...
Torrential downpours have triggered deadly mudslides and widespread flooding in southern Peru, leaving at least seventeen people dead - including fift...
The U.S. ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, has been banned from meeting members of the French government after not showing up at the Foreign Affa...
Thailand and the United States, alongside 28 partner nations, began Southeast Asia’s largest and longest-running military exercise, the 45th Cobra G...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 24th of February, covering the latest developments you need to...
British finance minister Rachel Reeves is likely to announce tens of billions of pounds of new tax increases on Wednesday in a budget that puts her credibility on the line both with bond investors and with lawmakers demanding more welfare spending.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Saturday that the next key step in resolving the war in Ukraine is a meeting in Geneva, where U.S., Ukrainian and European national security advisers will advance the U.S.-led 28-point peace proposal.
Thousands of people marched through London on Wednesday to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's state visit to Britain while a much smaller crowd gathered outside the royal Windsor Castle west of the capital to give him a warm welcome.
Estonia has announced readiness to join a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, offering up to one battalion for future deployment.
Italy said a fond farewell to the Winter Olympics on Sunday with an open-air ceremony in the ancient Verona Arena that celebrated art and sporting achievement at a Games lauded as a model for how to stage such events.
The United States and Iran will hold a new round of nuclear negotiations in Geneva on Thursday as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to reach a potential agreement, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi announced on Sunday.
Further Iran-U.S. nuclear talks are scheduled in Geneva on Thursday (26 February) as diplomacy resumes over Tehran’s nuclear programme following earlier mediation efforts. But will the talks move Iran-U.S. negotiations closer to a deal, and what should be expected from the meeting?
Mexican authorities said on Sunday that Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho and head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed during a military operation in the western state of Jalisco.
Syria has secured a $50 million financing package from the World Bank to support transport infrastructure projects as the country advances its economic recovery efforts, Syrian media reported on Sunday.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 10% global tariffs have come into effect, hours after the Supreme Court blocked many of his sweeping import taxes in a 6–3 ruling. Allies around the world are weighing possible retaliation, while markets brace for further upheaval.
Torrential downpours have triggered deadly mudslides and widespread flooding in southern Peru, leaving at least seventeen people dead - including fifteen killed in a military helicopter crash - as hundreds of districts across the country remain under a state of emergency.
The U.S. ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, has been banned from meeting members of the French government after not showing up at the Foreign Affairs ministry, where he had been summoned over comments on the killing of a French far-right activist last week, diplomatic sources said on Monday.
Thailand and the United States, alongside 28 partner nations, began Southeast Asia’s largest and longest-running military exercise, the 45th Cobra Gold, on Tuesday (24 February) in Rayong province, Thailand.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 24th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment