• Jihad al-Shamie attacked a Manchester synagogue while pledging allegiance to ISIS.
• Two Jewish worshippers were killed, with one likely shot by police.
• The incident highlights a rise in antisemitic attacks linked to the Gaza conflict.
• Counterterror police confirmed the attacker was not previously known to them.
• The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack and subsequent police shootings.

The attacker of a Manchester synagogue, identified as Jihad al-Shamie, 35, called the police during his rampage to declare allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS). The attack, which took place at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, resulted in the deaths of two Jewish people, one potentially from police gunfire, according to reports from SCMP, Reuters, Al Jazeera, and Channel News Asia.

Al-Shamie executed the attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, and armed police responded within minutes, resulting in his death at the scene. He appeared to have been wearing an explosive belt; however, police later confirmed the device was not viable. This attack has been described as one of the most severe antisemitic incidents in Europe since the conflict in Gaza began, as reported by SCMP and Reuters.

Counterterrorism investigations declared Al-Shamie had not been previously known to them nor had he been referred to the UK's counter-radicalization program, Prevent. However, he had a previous criminal record and was out on bail for an alleged rape at the time of the attack, as mentioned by Al Jazeera and Channel News Asia.

The police acknowledged that their response might have inadvertently caused the death of one victim and are currently under investigation by a police watchdog regarding the details of Al-Shamie’s shooting as well as the fatalities that occurred during the operation. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has stated no other firearms were present at the scene, corroborating the findings of several sources mentioned above.