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Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson has issued an apology after acknowledging that mobile phones belonging to Jihad Al-Shamie, the man who attacked the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester, were seized but not examined prior to the incident. Al-Shamie, aged 35, was on bail for an alleged rape at the time of the assault on 2 October 2025, which resulted in the deaths of two Jewish men. Devices taken from him during arrests in February and September of that year contained evidence of extremist beliefs, yet this information was not reviewed.
Sir Stephen expressed regret over this oversight, stating, “I am disappointed at the prospect of adding to the distress of all of those affected by the terrible events last October. For this, I am deeply sorry.” He noted that the conclusion of legal proceedings against Mohammad Bashir, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for plotting a related attack alongside Al-Shamie, has now allowed the police to share more information about the case. The two men had discussed their extremist views and plans in WhatsApp messages, including conversations about martyrdom, as presented during Bashir’s sentencing at Manchester Crown Court.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into Greater Manchester Police’s prior interactions with Al-Shamie, focusing on how reports of crimes against him were handled. One police officer is also under scrutiny for potential misconduct related to allegations of rape and other sexual offences involving Al-Shamie, though the outcome of this investigation will determine whether disciplinary action is taken. The IOPC will also assess whether the police missed opportunities to prevent the synagogue attack by not analyzing the information recovered from Al-Shamie’s seized devices until recently.
Al-Shamie’s attack on the synagogue, which took place during the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur, involved him crashing his vehicle into the synagogue gates before assaulting worshippers with a knife while wearing a fake suicide belt. He was eventually shot dead by police at the scene. The two victims, Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby, lost their lives in the attack. The inquests into their deaths are scheduled for spring 2027 and will cover the circumstances surrounding Al-Shamie’s radicalisation and whether the attack could have been prevented, reflecting a comprehensive examination of all factors involved
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