Four people arrested in connection with a terrorist attack at a Manchester synagogue remain in custody after police were granted extra time to question them. Counter Terrorism Policing North West secured warrants on Saturday allowing them to detain the suspects for a further five days.
The arrests relate to the attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall on Thursday, which occurred during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, who was on bail for an alleged rape, was shot dead by police as he targeted the place of worship.
Two people died trying to prevent the attack from succeeding. Adrian Daulby, 53, is believed to have been shot dead by police while attempting to stop Al-Shamie from entering the synagogue. Melvin Cravitz, 66, from Crumpsall, was a worshipper who also helped prevent the attacker from entering the premises.
Investigation continues
The four suspects still in custody include two men aged 30 and 32, and a woman, 61, all arrested in Prestwich, plus a 46-year-old woman arrested in Farnworth. Two other people - an 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man arrested in Farnworth - were released with no further action on Saturday night.
Greater Manchester Police said the investigation was "continuing at pace" with "significant resources" mobilised to "establish the full picture into what has happened". Three men remain in hospital with serious injuries, including a security guard with car-impact injuries and a Community Security Trust worker with stab wounds.
The police watchdog is investigating the incident, examining the use of lethal force by firearms officers. This includes "whether police may have caused or contributed to the death" of Adrian Daulby.
Political response
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch visited the synagogue on Saturday alongside Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Assistant Chief Constable John Webster. She said Jewish people in the UK must be given greater security as some are "leaving to go to Israel".
Badenoch questioned: "Israel is at war. How can people be leaving the UK to go to a war zone and think that they'll be safer there?" Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who visited the scene on Friday, urged people planning weekend protests to "respect the grief of British Jews".
The Metropolitan Police arrested 488 people over support for Palestine Action at Saturday's protest in Trafalgar Square. The Board of Deputies of British Jews called for those arrested under the Terrorism Act to also be investigated for stirring up racial hatred.
Memorial events planned
The Board of Deputies is set to hold an event on Sunday afternoon in a central London plaza to reflect on the upcoming two-year anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7. Sharone Lifschitz, a British Israeli academic and filmmaker and daughter of two former hostages, and Adam Ma'anit, a British-Israeli writer and campaigner, are among the speakers.
The Board of Deputies said there would be an enhanced police presence at the event following the terror attack. This comes as Jewish communities across the UK remain on heightened alert.
Community response
A fundraising page for the Community Security Trust had raised more than £16,000 of its £22,000 target by Saturday night. Supporter Andrew Fox, who set up the page, said: "A donation not only helps keep Jewish communities safe, it is a tangible way to stand with them during these dark times."
Manchester United held a minute's silence at Old Trafford during their match against Sunderland in tribute to the victims. The gesture highlighted the widespread impact of the attack on the local community.
Head of counter-terrorism policing Laurence Taylor confirmed on Friday that a "suspicious device" attached to Al-Shamie's torso was fake. Police believe the attacker "may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology" and noted that Al-Shamie "does not appear to be known to counter-terrorism policing" but had "a non-CT (counter-terror) related criminal history".
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
