Manchester terrorist named; Starmer: Suspect ‘attacked Jews because they are Jews’

British police named the suspect in a deadly terrorist attack at a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur, as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack and vowed to “defeat” antisemitism in his country.

The terrorist, Jihad al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, rammed his car into people outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Thursday, and then began stabbing them, killing two members of the Jewish community and seriously injuring four before he was shot dead by police on the scene.

Starmer and his Jewish wife, Victoria, visited a London synagogue after the attack.

In a short address, Starmer condemned antisemitism and pledged a fiercer fight against it, including by increasing police protection at synagogues.

“Earlier today, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day for the Jewish community, a vile individual committed a terrorist attack that attacked Jews because they are Jews, and attacked Britain because of our values,” Starmer said.

He added, “While this is not a new hate, this is something Jews have always lived with. We must be clear: It is a hatred that is rising once again, and Britain must defeat it once again.”

This was a vile terrorist attack that attacked Jews, because they are Jews.

Antisemitism is a hatred that is rising, once again. Britain must defeat it, once again.

Advertisement

To every Jewish person in this country: I promise that I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the… pic.twitter.com/DAd9OaGNMc

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) October 2, 2025

On Friday, UK media reported that the terrorist, Jihad al-Shamie, lived some two miles from the synagogue.

He was granted British citizenship as a teenager in 2006, after immigrating to the country as a young child, according to reports.

The terrorist’s neighbors told media he had lived in his home for about a decade, was not known to have any wife or children, and hardly spoke to people.

Police confirmed he had not previously been referred to the police’s anti-radicalization program, nor did he appear to have been under any investigation.

Anti-Israel protest goes ahead, shortly after attack

Later Thursday, authorities allowed an anti-Israel protest to go ahead in the same city of Manchester.

Footage showed hundreds of far-left activists walking through the streets, chanting slogans against the Jewish state and in solidarity with a flotilla of anti-Israel activists carrying symbolic quantities of aid that sought to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza after it was intercepted by the navy before reaching the Strip earlier that day.

Manchester Emergency Pro Palestine Flotilla protest, comes to a end at St Peters Square after marching from Piccadilly Train Station – England pic.twitter.com/ShDdJ9Zre9

— Tke Media (@TkeMedia) October 2, 2025

In the attack, al-Shamie rammed his car into a crowd of people outside the synagogue and then embarked on a stabbing spree. He appeared to be wearing an explosive device, but police later said it was “not viable.”

An initial check of records showed he was not part of a UK counter-terror program that tries to identify people at risk for being radicalized. The police added that three suspects — two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s — are currently in custody and “have been arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.”

A worshipper at the synagogue recounted being inside for Yom Kippur services when the attack occurred, noting that the synagogue had already taken security precautions.

“We’d already made sure that the doors and windows were shut,” Rob Kanter told the Guardian, adding that after they heard gunshots, police entered the synagogue to escort the congregation to safety.

According to Kanter, his first reaction upon hearing the shots was “How are we going to keep ourselves and everyone else safe?” Despite initially feeling “bewildered” when they heard the attack outside, he said the atmosphere inside the synagogue was “actually relatively calm.”

“I would say the mood amongst our fellow congregants was very calm, and everyone deals with these things in their own way,” Kanter added. “Some people get through this in a very quiet way, others like to talk, some people even try and use an element of humor just to keep themselves going.”

???????? PICTURED: Keir Starmer attends a north London synagogue with his wife, Rachel Reeves and Yvette Cooper pic.twitter.com/ChSSzEelmb

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) October 2, 2025

He also said the rabbi, Daniel Walker, tried to continue the service after worshippers were led away from the synagogue by police, “because at the end of the day, because it’s awkward, and it’s difficult, people have got a multitude of emotions going on, but we carried on, and did not [perform] the whole service, but we did what we could in the circumstances.”

Israeli leaders condemned the attack, while taking implicit and explicit swipes at the UK government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement referenced his recent speech at the United Nations, where he castigated a string of countries, including the UK, that have recognized a Palestinian state.

“Our hearts are with the families of the murdered, and we pray for the swift recovery of the wounded,” Netanyahu posted on X. “As I warned at the UN: weakness in the face of terrorism only brings more terrorism. Only strength and unity can defeat it.”

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel “expects more than words from the Starmer government.”

“The truth must be told: blatant and rampant antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement, as well as calls of support for terror, have recently become a widespread phenomenon in the streets of London, in cities across Britain, and on its campuses,” Sa’ar wrote in a post on X. “The authorities in Britain have failed to take the necessary action to curb this toxic wave of antisemitism and have effectively allowed it to persist.”

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett, considered a chief rival to Netanyahu in elections slated for next year, also took aim at Starmer’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state.

“When antisemitism is surging to levels not seen since the Holocaust, for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer it was instead urgent to recognize ‘a Palestinian state’ instead of focusing on his basic duty to defend Jewish citizens of Britain,” Bennett said in a statement.

Also on Thursday, the Manchester Council of Mosques released a statement mourning the shooting. It called on people to “avoid speculation.”

“The Manchester Council of Mosques is shocked and saddened to hear of today’s stabbing outside a synagogue in Manchester,” the statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the Jewish community at this distressing time.”

It added, “Manchester has always been a city where people of all faiths and backgrounds live side by side. Any attempt to divide us through violence or hatred will fail — we remain united in our commitment to peace and mutual respect.”

Palestinian Ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot condemned the “heinous” attack, tweeting, “No one should ever feel unsafe in their home or at their place of worship.”

“My deepest condolences go to the victims and families of today’s heinous attack in Manchester,” Zomlot wrote.

“Violence against civilians must be condemned without hesitation or exception. We stand firm in upholding the rule of law everywhere, rejecting dehumanization, and affirming the equal humanity of all,” the Palestinian envoy added.