Neighbours of Jihad al-Shamie, the man who attacked a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur, have told the Guardian they reported concerns about a family member being radicalised to police in 2020 or 2021. They described an apparently fanatical interest in Islam, including wearing traditional dress and attempting to preach the Qur'an to local children.
One neighbour said the family changed during the Covid pandemic, holding private gatherings and becoming intimidating. She reported her worries to Greater Manchester Police, saying she would not have done so if not genuinely concerned. Police have not commented on whether the report was investigated.
During the attack, witnesses heard Shamie shout, "This is what you're going to get for killing our children," before he was shot dead by police. Two worshippers died. Police believe he may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology, but he was not previously known to counter-terrorism officials.
Shamie was on bail for alleged rape at the time of the attack. His father, Faraj al-Shamie, condemned the "heinous act" and expressed shock. Neighbours also noted that Shamie became reclusive after suffering brain damage from a cliff fall 20 years ago.
