In Manchester, England, police have revealed the identity of the man who killed two people and hospitalised four others in a serious condition near a local synagogue on 2 October.
The suspect, identified as 35-year-old British-born Syrian-born Jihad al-Shami, first drove a car into the crowd before attacking people with a knife. He was shot dead by police, the BBC reported. Authorities have called what happened a terrorist attack.
The attacker’s motives have not yet been given. The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andrew Burnham, called what happened a “horrific anti-Semitic attack”. It took place during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur (Judgement Day), when synagogue attendance is considered compulsory for Jews.
Police said two arrests were made. A media photo captures the moment the attacker, a bearded man in dark clothing, stands outside the synagogue with some objects attached to his waistband. Greater Manchester Police Chief Stephen Watson praised the swift response of security staff and their bravery, as well as the bravery of the congregants themselves, who barricaded the entrance to the synagogue and prevented the attacker from getting inside.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called a meeting of the government’s security committee. He decided to return early to London from Copenhagen, where European leaders were meeting on 2 October. Starmer later addressed the British Jewish community directly, saying he would do everything possible to guarantee its safety and emphasising the need to confront anti-Semitism.