Description: The 35 – year old Jihad Al – Shamie, British citizen of Syrian descent, killed two people in front of the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, critically wounding three others before being neutralized by the armed police. Witness statements claimed that the attacker initially rammed his car in the gates of the synagogue and started stabbing people around him before attempting to enter the synagogue. The police forces responded quickly and after several warnings eliminated the attacker. Three additional people were arrested in connection to the attack within the investigation spearheaded by the London Metropolitan Police and MI-5. Al – Shamie hasn’t been flagged on any terrorist lists within the UK and had no relations with other radical groups. The attack unfolded on the holy Jewish day of Yom Kippur and in the midst of a severe uptick in antisemitic and radical attacks in the UK and around the globe. Prime Minister Keir Starmer vehemently denounced the murderous terrorist attack and promised greater protection for the people pertaining to the UK Jewish community. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and criticized the UK for inciting radicalism, antisemitism and terrorism by recognizing the state of Palestine.
Impact: The Manchester stabbing terrorist attack falls in line with the deadly uptick in attacks related to antisemitism and other forms of radicalization. These kinds of attacks significantly escalated after the Hamas terrorist attack on 07 Oct 2023 and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip that followed expanding the public narrative of approval and disapproval of the war and its consequences. The attack also demonstrates high level of unpreparedness by the UK’s security services which should have objectively assessed potential targets in the wake of the escalation of antisemitic attacks in the first three quarters of 2025 and acted adequately in enhancing security measures and preventive risk assessment procedures. Security services around Europe and the US should raise the level of awareness regarding potential risks that stem from antisemitism and increase security measures around potential targets, considering the high level of escalation in these types of attacks and the high probability of their increase in the upcoming period.