Jihad Al-Shamie Kills Two Jews and Attacks Manchester Synagogue While Pledging Allegiance to ISIS

A 35-year-old Syrian-born UK citizen, Jihad al-Shamie, carried out a terrorist attack outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, during Yom Kippur.

“Counter-terrorism police stated they did not know Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old on bail for an alleged rape at the time of the attack, who is believed to have been influenced by an extreme Islamist mindset”

ITVX

Multiple outlets report he rammed a vehicle into worshippers, then carried out a knife assault while wearing a fake explosive device.

ITVX

He made a 999 call during the attack to pledge allegiance to Islamic State before being shot dead by armed police.

Two congregants were killed and three others seriously injured.

Security staff, worshippers, and police are credited with stopping him from entering the synagogue.

Local and national reports add timing and location specifics, including that armed police killed him within minutes of the alert.

The incident occurred on Thursday, 2 October 2025.

The victims were named as Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53.

Multiple outlets report that Daulby is believed to have been accidentally shot by police while helping to block the attacker’s entry.

The Sun

Cravitz was killed in the assault.

Three others remain seriously injured.

However, casualty reporting differs across sources.

One outlet reports the attacker’s claim that he had killed two Jewish individuals.

Other sources specify that one fatality was caused by police gunfire, not by al-Shamie’s knife or vehicle.

Authorities rapidly labeled the incident a terrorist attack after al‑Shamie’s 999 call pledging allegiance to Islamic State.

“A recent attack on a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur, which left two Jewish worshippers dead, has heightened security concerns for Jewish communities in the UK ahead of the Sukkot holiday”

The Straits Times

However, agencies and outlets distinguish between an ISIS allegiance claim and evidence of direct organizational ties.

Upday reports MI5 found no direct links to ISIS despite the pledge.

Multiple outlets say police believe he was influenced by extremist ideology.

Some sources also report he referenced the Gaza conflict during or around the attack.

Witnesses cited retaliation rhetoric about Gaza and children.

Security footage and witness accounts before the attack emerge in some coverage.

Several outlets report al-Shamie was seen acting suspiciously outside the synagogue earlier but was not reported when he walked away after being confronted by security.

BBC

During the assault itself, the quick action of security staff, congregants, and police—who faced an assailant with two knives and a fake suicide belt—prevented his entry.

Local and national outlets emphasize this community response as limiting casualties.

The investigation and wider context remain fluid.

“The article highlights that the challenge being discussed is ongoing and not just a short-term issue”

Evrim Ağacı

Arrest figures and outcomes vary by outlet and time, with reports mentioning six arrests, some released without charge, four to be released, or all later released.

Evrim Ağacı

These variations suggest police increasingly believe al‑Shamie acted alone.

Multiple sources add that he was not previously known to counter‑terror programs.

Some sources also mention he was on bail for an alleged rape, though he was not charged.

Oversight bodies are probing the police shootings related to the case.

Some coverage frames this incident as among Europe’s worst antisemitic events since October 2023.

A Western Alternative outlet reports personal life and radicalization details about al‑Shamie and notes an unconnected ISIS‑inspired trial, which police say is not linked.