Mohammad Bashir, an anti-Semitic extremist who plotted to unleash terror at a UK military base, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 17 years. Before learning his fate, the judge, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, quoted Jewish scripture to him: “He that walks with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” The quote, from the Jewish book of Proverbs, was used to explore how Bashir, a man with no previous criminal record and whose loved ones expressed 'surprise and shock', was capable of such a crime.
Radicalisation and the plot
Unknown to his family, in the weeks and months prior to the terror plot, Bashir had been conversing with extremist Jihad Al-Shamie and others online. Bashir, 31, from Cheetham Hill, became radicalised, hiding a secret obsession with an extreme and violent variation of Islam. He was just as enthusiastic and committed as Al-Shamie in carrying out a terrorist attack. Bashir had cut ties with Al-Shamie before Al-Shamie crashed into the gates of Heaton Park synagogue, describing the killer as 'clingy' and 'annoying'. Bashir was not accused of involvement in the Heaton Park atrocity, but weeks earlier he had played a full part in preparations for a proposed attack on the UK Defence Academy, a college where armed forces personnel receive training and where they believed Israeli Defence Force officers had also attended.
Sentencing remarks
Sentencing him, the judge told Bashir: “You are Manchester born and bred. You have not revealed what caused you to turn on the society that you had grown up in, gone to school and college in, worked in, and where your family was able to practise your religion in freedom and peace. You told the Probation Officer who prepared the pre-sentence report that the violence in Palestine angered and upset you, and led to you admiring and sharing the rhetoric that hate preachers like [Anwar] al-Awlaki used to poison minds. By last August you were close friends with a man who would soon go on to carry out an appalling terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community in your home city. Your interactions caught on video at the mosque on August 9 show two equally engaged and enthusiastic men planning an atrocity against a British military facility for religious and political reasons. Your example must stand as a warning to men who are attracted by this form of militant, violent and destructive Islam for religious or political reasons. Character is contagious. The values and behaviour of the people you revere will directly influence your own life and choices.”
Background and missed opportunities
Bashir’s sentencing hearing completed a remarkable fall of grace for a man with a 'generally stable' background, with 'supportive family relationships, educational attainment and a history of employment with no financial problems'. The judge added: “I have seen a bundle of eloquent references from family members and others who have known you for years. All of them praise your character. None of them would have expected you to have behaved in the way you have admitted. You didn’t let on to those closest to you that you had become an adherent of extreme Islamist ideology.” By August 2025, when Bashir spent a 10-hour round trip driving Al-Shamie to the Defence Academy in Oxfordshire, Bashir was described as a 'firmly committed jihadist', evidenced by phone chats and conversations demonstrating interest in an 'extremist world view' and discussion of 'violent jihad'. Sir Stephen Watson, chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, issued an apology after admitting there had been a 'missed opportunity' prior to Al-Shamie’s deadly attack at Heaton Park synagogue on October 2 last year. Al-Shamie had been arrested on suspicion of breaching a non-molestation order in February and on suspicion of rape in September, and his phone was seized both times but only examined by counter-terror police after the attack. Sir Stephen said: “It is clear that our not having reviewed the data available to us prior to the attack constitutes a missed opportunity.”
The Heaton Park attack and investigation
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts, who holds operational responsibility for Counter Terrorism Policing North West, said the plot to target the Defence Academy, which he described as a 'serious plan to cause multiple fatalities', 'span out' of the investigation into the synagogue attack. He said: "The two subjects involved, Al-Shamie and Bashir, took a significant number of actions in order to research different military establishments particularly training establishments, and were seeking to identify one that had links to the Israeli military and ultimately they zeroed in on the UK Defence Academy at Shrivenham. They conducted a lot of online research into that institution then planned and carried out a journey to Shrivenham, which took 10 hours. We believe in order to carry out hostile reconnaissance to understand the security and potential opportunities, we think, to commit an attack at that establishment. We think that they were very serious at looking at that establishment as a potential target. Clearly they did not pursue that anymore - we don't know why that is. We think the actions that they took were serious - sadly one of the two individuals, Al-Shamie, did go on to commit a fatal terrorist attack five weeks after that reconnaissance." On October 2, Al-Shamie, 35, drove his Kia Picanto into the gates of Heaton Park synagogue and began attacking with a knife while wearing a fake suicide belt. The atrocity took place on Yom Kippur. Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, both from Crumpsall, died. Mr Cravitz was stabbed while Mr Daulby was inadvertently shot by police. Al-Shamie was shot dead at the scene.
Evidence and arrests
ACC Potts said evidence discovered during the investigation indicated 'a strong, deep-rooted anti-Semitic mindset' between the pair. They had looked at other military establishments, including The Royal College of Military Studies in London, but police believe they decided on the academy because 'they had a perception that there were links with the Israeli military at that establishment'. Evidence from messages and conversations at the mosque showed they were 'set on martyrdom', with references to Jihad and martyrdom. There's no evidence they planned to travel abroad for an attack. Bashir left the UK two days after the synagogue attack, but police said the travel was 'booked a number of weeks in advance' in August for his brother's wedding. He was arrested in October 2025 at Manchester Airport after landing back from Pakistan, in front of his family. Police said Bashir did not know of Al-Shamie's plan to attack the synagogue. He was identified as a 'subject of interest' from the investigation into the terror attack. Two mobile phones – both Samsung Galaxys – were already in GMP's possession. One was seized from Al-Shamie on February 13, 2025, for a breach of a non-molestation order; the second when he was arrested on suspicion of rape on September 21. But police confirmed the phones were not digitally examined at those times. ACC Potts said it would be 'an area that would be examined by a coroner during the inquest that is live', and the Independent Office for Police Conduct also has a live investigation. Following the sentencing hearing on Thursday (July 23), Sir Stephen issued a statement apologising: "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. It is my fervent hope and expectation that the continuing independent reviews and processes will be able to draw together all the available evidence such as to leave no question unanswered. In the interim, GMP will continue to act transparently, with candour and in a manner which fully embraces our accountability.”
No evidence linking Bashir to Heaton Park attack
ACC Potts said: "We found no evidence at all that Mohammad Bashir was either involved in the planning of, or had any prior knowledge of, the Heaton Park attack. What we did find was that Bashir, similar to Al-Shamie, had an extremist mindset and deep-rooted anti-Semitic beliefs. We identified the research that took place. There is no evidence that we have found that Bashir had any knowledge of Al-Shamie's attack prior to that attack taking place." ACC Potts said there was 'very limited information' about what they did at the Defence Academy, and there was no CCTV there at the time. A voice note recorded by Al-Shamie on an iPhone that was later dumped and never found was accessed. It provided a description of the reception area and staff presence. The hypothesis is that one or both entered briefly, spending around 15 minutes at or close to the academy. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "These individuals did not gain access to secure areas of the Defence Academy, which are restricted to pass holders. The reception area they entered is outside the secure perimeter and serves as a public entry point. We do not comment on specific security measures or arrangements at Defence sites, but security across the MOD estate is kept under constant review and assessed against current threats and operational requirements."
Mosque meetings and radicalisation
ACC Potts called the investigation 'significant and rapid', involving staff across the national counter-terrorism set-up. Prior to the trip to the Defence Academy, Bashir and Al-Shamie had met a number of times at the Al-Sunnah Mosque in Cheetham Hill. ACC Potts said: "The mosque has cooperated fully with this investigation. The way that Al-Shamie and Bashir behaved and met and had conversations at the mosque was very secretive and was not done in groups of people, or with people observing or being part of it. They were at pains to keep confidential the things that they were talking about. There is no evidence whatsoever that anyone else within the mosque had any idea around their plans and ultimately their plans around the reconnaissance and potential selection of the UK Defence Academy as an attack target." He said the pair 'didn't realise' that where they would meet inside the mosque was covered by a CCTV camera, and the audio was also being recorded. ACC Potts called Bashir a 'dangerous man' who had 'taken part in clear actions of preparation to commit a terrorist attack'. He said like Al-Shamie, Bashir 'has demonstrated a very similar extremist Jihadist mindset' and was an 'equal partner' in the plot. "I think he is a very dangerous man - his conviction marks him down as such. Whilst he has not reached the point where he has taken part in an attack, on his return he was arrested at the airport. We don't know what he would have done going forward had that not have taken place." He said police believe Bashir was a 'radicalising influence' on Al-Shamie, but added: "In many ways they radicalised each other as well. They were both vociferous in their beliefs, their extremist beliefs, their anti-Semitic, deep-rooted beliefs. I think Mohammad Bashir encouraged and in a way, carried out a radicalising function in relation to Al-Shamie, but I think it probably worked both ways, which is often the case." Bashir, of Shaftesbury Road, Cheetham Hill, was sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 17 years, after pleading guilty to preparing a terrorist act in connection with the targeting of the Defence Academy.
