On Friday, police revealed the identities of two men tragically killed in a car and knife attack that coincided with the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. British chief rabbis condemned the incident, attributing it to the “relentless waves” of anti-Semitism.
Victims Adrian Doorby, 53, and 66-year-old Melvin Kravitz were attacked at the Heaton Park synagogue located in Crampsall, Manchester.
In addition to the fatalities, three other individuals are reportedly in serious condition at the hospital.
The suspect was shot dead by police just seven minutes after he drove his car into a pedestrian outside the synagogue and subsequently attacked him with a knife. Initially believed to be wearing an explosive belt, it was later determined to be fake.
This incident occurred as congregants gathered to observe Yom Kippur, a significant and strict day in the Jewish faith.
Rabbi Ephraim Milvis, the Chief of British Orthodox Judaism, expressed that this assault was born from “a merciless wave of Jewish hatred,” adding that it was a painful day that the community had hoped to avoid, even as they sensed its potential.
The attacker has been identified as Jihad al-Shami, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, who immigrated to the UK in 2006 and acquired citizenship the same year.
Authorities are treating the incident as a terrorist act.
Interior Secretary Shabana Mahmood noted that the attackers were not previously known to law enforcement, despite ongoing efforts to preemptively identify individuals at risk of radicalization.
Police are investigating the attackers’ motives, and they have arrested three individuals—a pair of men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s—on suspicions related to preparation for terrorist activities.
Prime Minister Kiel condemned the perpetrators, labeling their actions as “depressing” and calling out the fact that they targeted Jews simply for being Jewish. He reassured the Jewish community of his commitment to ensuring their security.
Starmer emphasized the collective responsibility of the UK to support its Jewish community, promising compassion and solidarity in the days ahead.
