Reports in the UK said Friday that the terrorist who stormed a Manchester shul on Yom Kippur had been released on bail after being accused of assault, as old social media posts surfaced showing his father praising the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, even while publicly condemning his son’s actions.
For the first time, the attack was openly tied to the war in Gaza when an eyewitness told ITV News that the assailant, Jihad al-Shamie, yelled “this is what they get for killing our children” while trying to force his way into the Heaton Park Congregation during Yom Kippur tefillos.
The news broke as a vigil was held near the shul, where Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister David Lammy faced shouts from attendees who demanded that the government shut down pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel demonstrations.
Local mispallelim Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, were killed, and three more were gravely injured in the attack that struck on the holiest day of the year.
Shamie, a 35-year-old Syrian-born British citizen, was shot dead as he attempted to break into the building. Daulby was mistakenly killed by police gunfire as he tried to help block the entrance, authorities said, later praising his bravery.
UK media reported that Shamie had been under investigation for an assault earlier this year and had been free on bail when he carried out the rampage.
Sources quoted by The Guardian said Shamie had prior minor convictions not tied to terrorism. Another official noted that he was “on nobody’s radar for terrorism but he definitely had a criminal record.”
Investigators were also looking into whether Shamie was connected to a death threat emailed in 2012 to then-MP John Howell. The Guardian reported that Howell received a message signed “Jihad Alshamie” reading, “It is people like you who deserve to die.” Howell said he believed the threat was tied to his outspoken support for Israel.
In a statement, Shamie’s family denounced the attack in strong terms, describing it as a “heinous” act that left them in “profound shock.”
“The news from Manchester regarding the terrorist attack targeting a Jewish synagogue has been a profound shock to us,” wrote his father, Faraj al-Shamie, on Facebook. “The Al-Shamie family in the UK and abroad strongly condemns this heinous act, which targeted peaceful, innocent civilians.
“We fully distance ourselves from this attack and express our deep shock and sorrow over what has happened. Our hearts and thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we pray for their strength and comfort,” he added. “May God have mercy on the innocent victims, and we pray for the swift recovery of the injured.”
Yet only hours later, The Times uncovered old Facebook posts by Faraj al-Shamie that called for Israel’s downfall and praised Hamas’s invasion of Israel on October 7. That attack triggered the war in Gaza and was followed by a surge in antisemitic incidents across the globe.
On the day of the Hamas assault, Shamie had written that the terrorists were “God’s men on earth” and that they “prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Israel will not remain.”
In another post several days later, he urged Hamas to “release the elderly and children. What you have done so far is a miracle by all standards. Do not harm them in a moment of anger. They have no place in war.”
“May God grant you victory, support you, and guide you to the right path in a battle that history will record as the beginning of the liberation of Al-Aqsa, God willing,” he added.
Though critical of Iran’s government, Shamie nonetheless applauded Tehran’s missile barrage against Israel during a 12-day conflict this past June, writing with video clips of the destruction, “We are waiting for more,” and “your goods are being returned to you.”
The Times further reported that Shamie had previously worked as a trauma surgeon in conflict zones, including in South Sudan during its civil war.
Greater Manchester Police publicly recognized Daulby’s courage, saying he died while keeping the attacker from breaking through the shul’s entrance.
Initially, police had only acknowledged that a worshipper was killed by friendly fire, but later statements identified Daulby by name.
“Adrian was one of the brave worshippers attending the synagogue at the time of the incident and prevented the attacker from gaining access to the premises,” police said. “It is currently believed that Adrian’s injury may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by our officers to bring a vicious attack to an end.”
His family later said he “was a hero and tragically lost his life in the act of courage to save others.”
“He was a beloved brother, loving uncle to his four nieces and one nephew and a cherished cousin. The family is shocked by the tragic, sudden death of such a lovely down to earth man.
“His final act was one of profound courage and he will forever be remembered for his heroic act,” their statement read.
Alan Levy, who heads the Heaton Park Congregation’s board of trustees, told ITV News that he and Daulby were among those who held the doors shut to keep the attacker out.
Levy said he heard the terrorist shout, “This is what they get for killing our children” while attempting to break down the entrance.
Shamie was armed with “a big knife, banging his knife into the glass, trying to get through” the door, Levy recalled.
“Our children aren’t safe in schools; we have to have guards. Our people are not safe at the synagogue going to pray on the holiest day of our year,” he said. “We’ve been overwhelmed by the local community, Jewish and non-Jewish, who’ve offered help and support to us in this time.”
Levy added that after the attack, “We carried on our service at the police station when we went to give our statements.”
“We will be carrying on our services at another venue, and we’re going to carry on,” he said. “We’re going to be strong, and we’re not going to let this defeat us in any way.”
Rabbi Daniel Walker, the rov of the shul who also helped block the entrance, described the scene to ITV: “Half an hour into the prayers, I heard an almighty bang from outside, shouting. Someone was trying to get in with a knife.”
“When he tried to get inside the synagogue, there was a large number of us trying to hold him off,” Rabbi Walker said.
The rov explained that Shamie shouted threats as he fought to get inside, where the tzibbur was gathered for Yom Kippur tefillos.
The attempt was unsuccessful thanks to “the very, very brave men, security guard and volunteer [who] stopped him and blocked him literally with their bodies and are still in hospital,” Rabbi Walker said.
{Matzav.com}
