British police arrest 6 after deadly Manchester synagogue attack

preCharge News WORLD — Police on Saturday were questioning six people arrested on suspicion of terror offenses after an attack on a synagogue in northwest England that left two men dead and Britain’s Jewish community shocked and grieving.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, was shot dead by police on Thursday outside the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Manchester after he rammed a car into pedestrians, attacked them with a knife, and tried to force his way into the building.

Three men and three women, aged between 18 and their 60s, were arrested in the greater Manchester area on suspicion of the “commission, preparation, and instigation of acts of terrorism,” as police work to determine whether the attacker acted alone.

Manchester Synagogue Attack Leaves Two Dead, Six Arrested in Terror Probe

Victims and Details of the Attack

Congregation members Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, died in the attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. Police say Daulby was accidentally shot by an armed officer as he and other congregants barricaded the synagogue to block Al-Shamie from entering. Three other men are hospitalized with serious injuries.

Detectives say Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian origin who lived in Manchester, may have been influenced by “extreme Islamist ideology.” He wore what appeared to be an explosives belt, which was later found to be fake.

Police confirmed that Al-Shamie was out on bail over an alleged rape at the time of the attack but had not been charged.

Rising Tensions and Antisemitism in the U.K.

The attack has devastated Britain’s Jewish community and intensified debate about the line between criticism of Israel and antisemitism.

Recorded antisemitic incidents in the U.K. have risen sharply since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and Israel’s ensuing war against Hamas in Gaza, according to the Community Security Trust, a charity that provides protection for British Jews.

Some politicians and religious leaders claimed pro-Palestinian demonstrations have played a role in spreading hatred of Jews. The protests have been largely peaceful, but some say chants such as “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” incite anti-Jewish sentiment.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters have accused critics of Israel of antisemitism, while others view such accusations as attempts to silence legitimate dissent.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, the head of Orthodox Judaism in Britain, said the attack stemmed from “an unrelenting wave of Jew hatred” both online and on the streets.

Political Fallout and Government Response

Some have suggested that the U.K.’s recognition of a Palestinian state last month emboldened antisemitism — a claim the government denies.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy faced boos and shouts of “Shame on you” at a vigil for victims in Manchester. Meanwhile, police in London urged organizers to cancel a protest against the banning of Palestine Action, recently labeled a terrorist organization by the government.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said organizers should “recognize and respect the grief of British Jews this week” and postpone the demonstration.

However, Defend Our Juries, one of the protest groups, said it would go ahead. Member Jonathon Porritt said protesters would “demonstrate huge respect and real grief” for the victims but would not abandon their right to protest “against genocide in Gaza.”