Neighbours Reported Manchester Synagogue Attacker To Police Years Before Attack

Neighbours of Jihad al-Shamie, who attacked a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur killing two worshippers, reported concerns to Greater Manchester Police years before the attack about radicalization within his family and their attempts to preach the Quran to local children. These concerns emerged particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when Shamie and another family member reportedly began wearing traditional Islamic dress, holding private gatherings, and exhibiting a sudden fanatical interest in Islam, which alarmed neighbours. Despite these reports, police have stated that Shamie was not known to counter-terrorism officials prior to his violent attack. Surveillance footage shows Shamie conducting reconnaissance before the attack, which ended with him being shot dead by police. The attack is believed to have been influenced by extremist Islamist ideology, and Shamie's family publicly condemned his actions. These revelations raise questions about whether earlier intervention might have been possible had the concerns been acted upon by authorities.