Police step up patrols at Manchester synagogues after terror attack

Police have stepped up patrols at synagogues across the Manchester area following the terrorist attack which killed two people.

Three men remain in hospital following the car and knife attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, on Thursday.

On Friday night, police raided a house in Central Avenue, Bolton, while six people have been detained on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, with counter-terrorism police saying they will seek warrants to give them extra time to continue questioning them.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, who it emerged was on bail for an alleged rape, was shot dead by police as he targeted the place of worship on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Adrian Daulby, 53, is believed to have been shot dead by police while attempting to prevent Al-Shamie entering the synagogue during the car and knife attack.

He was killed together with Melvin Cravitz, 66, from Crumpsall, a worshipper who helped prevent the attacker from entering the premises.

Armed police accidentally shot Mr Daulby and another member of the public who survived during the attack.

On Saturday, the force said three men remain in hospital with serious injuries, including a security guard with car-impact injuries and a Community Security Trust (CST) worker with stab wounds.

On Friday, the police watchdog, which is investigating the incident, said it was examining the use of lethal force by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) firearms officers.

The probe would include “whether police may have caused or contributed to the death” of Mr Daulby.

A GMP spokesman said it had increased patrols to reassure the community.

He said: “We’re continuing to respond effectively to emergencies in the region while ensuring that every available officer in Greater Manchester is currently deployed to provide reassurance, particularly amongst our Jewish communities, at what is a time of profound distress and sorrow.

“We have been patrolling places of worship across the city-region, with a particular focus on providing a high-visibility presence within our Jewish communities in north Manchester, Bury and Salford.”

Sir Keir Starmer has urged people planning to protest in Manchester and London this weekend to “respect the grief of British Jews” as he said demonstrations could cause further pain to mourners.

Writing in The Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News, the Prime Minister said: “This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain.”

Meanwhile, Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar said he had spoken to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and urged the Government to “fight the pro-Palestinian marches and protests”.

The protest in central London, organised by the protest group Defend Our Juries, is set to go ahead and the group stated: “Cancelling peaceful protests lets terror win.”

A minute’s silence will be held at Old Trafford on Saturday during Manchester United’s match against Sunderland in tribute to the victims, with players expected to wear black armbands.

Head of counter-terrorism policing Laurence Taylor said on Friday that a “suspicious device” attached to Al-Shamie’s torso had been confirmed as fake following analysis and that police believed he “may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology”.

He added: “Based on some fast-time assessments conducted on our systems, this individual does not appear to be known to counter-terrorism policing, however he does have a non-CT (counter-terror) related criminal history.

“This includes a recent arrest for rape, which resulted in him being bailed.”

A tribute provided by Mr Daulby’s family described him as “a lovely, down-to-earth man” and added: “Adrian Daulby was a hero and tragically lost his life in the act of courage to save others.”

Mr Cravitz’s family said in their tribute that he was “kind” and “caring”, and was “devoted” to his wife and family.

The family of Al-Shamie, who was born in Syria and came to the UK at a young age, posted a statement on social media distancing themselves from the attack and said: “The Al-Shamie family in the UK and abroad strongly condemns this heinous act, which targeted peaceful, innocent civilians.”