Father of Manchester Synagogue Attacker Praises Violence
The father of the man responsible for recent attacks on a British synagogue reportedly referred to the events of October 7 as a “miracle” and described the Hamas perpetrator as “the man of God on Earth.”
Faraj al-Shamy, father of Jihad Al-Shamy, has shared several Facebook posts supporting the deadly 2023 assault on Israel. Reports mentioned that he depicted these violent acts as “miracles by all standards.”
This post came shortly after he attempted to distance himself from his son, whom he referred to as Jihad, during a sacred Jewish observance at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester.
On the day of the October 7 attacks, he allegedly stated that Hamas fighters demonstrated, “beyond the shadow of doubt, that Israel will not remain.”
He wrote, “Men like this prove that they are God’s men on earth, and regardless of who leads them, this is the true compass of men who are confident in their victory, even if their means are limited.”
He also wished for the protection of Palestine and its brave people.
A few days later, he raised questions about why Hamas had not garnered support from others, characterizing the attack on Israel as “the overwhelming fall of a great traitor.”
This commentary surfaced soon after Jihad al-Shamy, a 35-year-old British national from Syria, engaged in a violent rampage, running over pedestrians and stabbing others. Following the incident, the Al-Shamy family released a statement condemning the attack.
The family declared, “We strongly condemn this heinous act of targeting peaceful, innocent civilians.” They expressed shock and sorrow over the incident, emphasizing their separation from the violence and offering condolences to the victims and their families.
“We pray for the swift recovery of the injured, just as God has mercy on the innocent victims,” the statement continued.
Jihad al-Shamy, a name often associated with radicalism, was shot and killed by police while attempting to invade the synagogue.
Authorities are still probing his motives, following the attack that claimed the lives of 53-year-old Adrian Doorby and 66-year-old Melvin Kravitz. Reports indicate that one victim may have been unintentionally shot by officers during the chaos.
According to Greater Manchester Police Chief Stephen Watson, “It is believed that both victims were near the synagogue’s doors as worshippers bravely sought to prevent the attackers from entering.”
