Jihad Al-Shamie, identified by UK police as the suspect in the Manchester synagogue attack (Photo: Reuters)
In the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester on October 2. Worshippers gathered outside to celebrate the Yom Kippur, the highest holy day of the Jewish calendar, when stabbings erupted immediately outside the synagogue. Two people lost their lives while three others were injured in what has now been declared a terrorist act. The authorities were quickly awakened to the scene, but the horror inflicted will take much longer to heal.
The alleged perpetrator of the attack is the 35-year-old British national of Syrian origin Jihad Al-Shamie. The Formal identification is pending, but Greater Manchester Police are confident they have named him as the killer. Officials stated he had no connection with the UK's Prevent program which monitors individuals who may be at risk of radicalization during the attack, he was wearing what turned out to be a harmless device, making the event even more horrifying.
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At around 9:31 AM, a car was seen speeding toward civilians in front of the synagogue on Middleton Road witness Shah described seeing a car accelerating straight toward a crowd, then a man with a knife jumped out and attacked. Panic erupted as he began attacking bystanders armed officers arrived in moments and challenged the attacker before he could enter the building.
Police fired and killed him on the scene after he ignored several commands due to suspicious objects on his person, a bomb disposal unit was called in for public safety.
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Greater Manchester Police arrested three individuals within hours of the incident, believed to have links to the suspect. Two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s are being held on suspicion of planning or perpetrating terrorist activity while the investigation remains ongoing, their relevance is under scrutiny while authorities ascertained whether the attack was coordinated or carried out independently.
Eyewitnesses recounted seeing a man brutalized on the street but initially mistook the event for a simple traffic accident. Another eyewitness related seeing one attacker attempting to stab through a window of a near building. The police came almost immediately and after failed commands, resorted to deadly force. His narrative reinforces the sheer terror of the time as well as the impulsiveness of the police's response.
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Disclaimer: This article is based on official reports and eyewitness accounts. It is intended for informational and editorial purposes only.
