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| Manchester synagogue terrorist was on bail for alleged rape | Manchester synagogue terrorist was on bail for alleged rape |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Exclusive: Jihad al-Shamie had been under investigation over alleged sexual attack earlier this year, sources say | |
| Manchester synagogue attack – latest updates | Manchester synagogue attack – latest updates |
| The Manchester synagogue terrorist was on police bail for an alleged rape when he carried out the attack, the Guardian can reveal. | The Manchester synagogue terrorist was on police bail for an alleged rape when he carried out the attack, the Guardian can reveal. |
| Jihad al-Shamie, 35, was being investigated over the alleged sexual attack which is understood to have taken place earlier this year. | Jihad al-Shamie, 35, was being investigated over the alleged sexual attack which is understood to have taken place earlier this year. |
| The Syrian-born attacker is also believed to have other criminal convictions, although he was not on the radar of counter-terrorism officers. | The Syrian-born attacker is also believed to have other criminal convictions, although he was not on the radar of counter-terrorism officers. |
| Shamie was shot dead by armed police after killing a Jewish man and seriously injuring several others when he attacked the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue, in north Manchester, on Thursday. | Shamie was shot dead by armed police after killing a Jewish man and seriously injuring several others when he attacked the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue, in north Manchester, on Thursday. |
| Two men, Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, died during the assault. One was struck fatally by a bullet fired at Shamie by armed officers. | Two men, Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, died during the assault. One was struck fatally by a bullet fired at Shamie by armed officers. |
| Counter-terrorism police and security services are working to piece together the background of the attacker, who is believed to have chosen the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, to target worshippers. | Counter-terrorism police and security services are working to piece together the background of the attacker, who is believed to have chosen the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, to target worshippers. |
| The Guardian has been told that although Shamie was not known to counter-terrorism agencies, or referred to the anti-radicalisation scheme Prevent, he had been prosecuted for criminal matters. | The Guardian has been told that although Shamie was not known to counter-terrorism agencies, or referred to the anti-radicalisation scheme Prevent, he had been prosecuted for criminal matters. |
| It is not known when exactly the alleged rape took place, but Shamie was on bail while under investigation by Greater Manchester police. | |
| One source said he had other criminal convictions, albeit for lesser offences and not related to terrorism. | One source said he had other criminal convictions, albeit for lesser offences and not related to terrorism. |
| “He was on nobody’s radar for terrorism but he definitely had a criminal record, though nothing to suggest he was going to do anything like this,” said one source. | “He was on nobody’s radar for terrorism but he definitely had a criminal record, though nothing to suggest he was going to do anything like this,” said one source. |
| Police are examining whether Shamie was responsible for a death threat sent to a former Conservative MP in 2012. | Police are examining whether Shamie was responsible for a death threat sent to a former Conservative MP in 2012. |
| The email to John Howell came from someone calling themselves “Jihad Alshamie”, and said: “It is people like you who deserve to die.” | The email to John Howell came from someone calling themselves “Jihad Alshamie”, and said: “It is people like you who deserve to die.” |
| Howell, who stood down as MP for Henley in 2024, said he did not know if it was the same person and did not feel the police had taken the death threat seriously enough at the time. | Howell, who stood down as MP for Henley in 2024, said he did not know if it was the same person and did not feel the police had taken the death threat seriously enough at the time. |
| A news report from 2012 said Howell was believed to have been targeted over his support for Israel. | A news report from 2012 said Howell was believed to have been targeted over his support for Israel. |
| “The last thing I want to appear as is a drama queen, but you have to take seriously a threat when it says, ‘I would like to see you dead,’” Howell said in 2012, in remarks reported by the Jerusalem Post. | “The last thing I want to appear as is a drama queen, but you have to take seriously a threat when it says, ‘I would like to see you dead,’” Howell said in 2012, in remarks reported by the Jerusalem Post. |
| “It is not just a question of me, it is my family and my staff. All it takes is one person out there who is weird enough, with a distorted view of life, to make an attempt to carry this out.” He said Thames Valley police had provided him with “extremely good security advice”. | “It is not just a question of me, it is my family and my staff. All it takes is one person out there who is weird enough, with a distorted view of life, to make an attempt to carry this out.” He said Thames Valley police had provided him with “extremely good security advice”. |
| Police have not confirmed whether the “Jihad Alshamie” who messaged Howell is the same person who carried out the synagogue attack but they are looking into whether there is a link. | Police have not confirmed whether the “Jihad Alshamie” who messaged Howell is the same person who carried out the synagogue attack but they are looking into whether there is a link. |
| Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, has said Shamie was not under active investigation by counter-terrorism police or security agencies at the time of the attack. They did not believe he had ever been on their radar, although inquiries were ongoing. | Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, has said Shamie was not under active investigation by counter-terrorism police or security agencies at the time of the attack. They did not believe he had ever been on their radar, although inquiries were ongoing. |