Manchester Synagogue Attacker Was on Bail for Reported Sexual Assault During Time of Incident
The suspect responsible for the violent assault at a Manchester synagogue had been released on police bail in connection with an accusation of sexual assault when the incident took place, according to available information.
Jihad al-Shamie, who was 35 years old, was under investigation for the reported sex crime that reportedly occurred earlier this year.
The attacker, who was born in Syria, is believed to have previous criminal convictions, however he was not being monitored from anti-terror authorities.
The assailant was killed by police gunfire by responding police following the murder of a Jewish man and caused serious harm to multiple other individuals during the assault on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in north Manchester last Thursday.
Two individuals, Adrian Daulby, 53 and 66-year-old Melvin Cravitz, died in the attack. One victim succumbed to a round discharged by officers aimed at Shamie.
Anti-terror units and security services are currently investigating the attacker's background, as it is believed that he selected Yom Kippur, the highest holy day in the Jewish year, to target worshippers.
Even though Shamie was not known to anti-terror organizations or referred to the Prevent deradicalization program, he had faced prosecution for criminal offenses.
The exact timing the alleged sexual assault occurred, but the suspect was on bail while being investigated by local law enforcement.
One source indicated that he possessed other prior offenses, albeit for minor infractions unrelated to terrorism.
“He was on nobody’s radar for terrorism but he definitely had a history of crime, though nothing to suggest he was going to do anything like this,” an informant remarked.
Authorities are examining whether the attacker was behind a death threat to a former Conservative MP in 2012.
The email to the former MP came from someone identifying as “Jihad Alshamie” and said, “It is people like you who deserve to die.”
Howell, who stepped down as MP for Henley in 2024, expressed uncertainty if it was the same person and felt that police did not treat the threat against his life seriously enough at the time.
A news report from that year suggested that Howell was likely targeted due to his pro-Israel stance.
“The last thing I want to appear as is a drama queen, but you have to take seriously a threat when it says, ‘I would like to see you dead,’” the former MP remarked at the time, according to reports from media outlets.
“It is not just a question of me, it is my family and my staff. All it takes is one person out there who is unstable enough, with a warped perspective of life, to make an attempt to carry this out.” He noted that local police had provided him with “extremely good security advice.”
Law enforcement have not confirmed whether the “Jihad Alshamie” who contacted the former MP is the same individual who committed the synagogue attack, but they are investigating a possible link.
Shabana Mahmood, Shabana Mahmood, stated that Shamie was not under active investigation by anti-terror units or intelligence services at the time of the attack. They had no reason to think he had previously been on their watchlist, although investigations were continuing.
