Synagogue terrorist ‘called 999 to claim allegiance to Islamic State’
Counter-terrorism chiefs say killer Jihad Al-Shamie was an Islamist extremist.
Synagogue killer Jihad Al-Shamie rang 999 during his deadly attack pledging allegiance to so-called Islamic State, sources said.
The 35-year-old made the call claiming responsibility for the attack after driving at worshippers in his car outside Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, last Thursday morning, as Jewish worshippers attended for the holy day of Yom Kippur.
He then attacked others with a knife and tried to storm the synagogue, wearing a fake suicide belt.
Father-of-three Melvin Cravitz, 66, was killed, along with Adrian Daulby, 53, believed to have been inadvertently shot by police as he ran to block the synagogue doors to stop Al-Shamie getting inside to continue his knife rampage.
It is understood that counter-terror police believe that Al-Shamie, a Syrian born UK citizen, was influenced by extremist Islamist ideology.
Three men remain in hospital with serious injuries, including a security guard with car impact injuries and a Community Security Trust (CST) worker with stab wounds.