Jihad Al-Shamie: What we know about the Manchester synagogue attacker

The man who killed two Jewish people in car and knife attack at a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday has been identified by police as Jihad Al-Shamie.

ITV News exclusively revealed the first image of Al-Shamie, who was shot dead by armed officers at the scene of that attack, after he was named by police.

This is what we know about him:

According to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Al-Shamie was a British citizen of Syrian descent.

The 35-year-old is understood to have entered the UK as a young child and been granted British citizenship in 2006, when he was around the age of 16.

Al-Shamie’s name has not appeared in initial searches of police and security service records, officials said, and he is not thought to have been under investigation.

GMP said officers were “working to understand the motivation behind the attack” and confirmed the killer had not been referred to Prevent, the government’s anti-radicalisation scheme.

He appears to have lived in Prestwich, around two miles from the scene and his name is linked to a property in the town.

Reports suggest Al-Shamie’s father is a trauma surgeon who worked for several NGO’s in warzones across the world.

Al-Shamie is understood to have worked as a tutor teaching English and computer programming.

Firearms officers warn people to move back as one onlooker warns: “he’s got a bomb on him.” Moments later a shot rings out.

A dramatic picture of Al-Shamie shows the moment he stood outside the synagogue with unidentified objects strapped to his waist, initially thought to be an explosive device which police later said was not viable.

Three other people have been arrested on suspicion of planning a terror attack in connection with the killings.

It is “too early” to say if there was a terrorist cell behind the attack on Greater Manchester, the Home Secretary said.

Shabana Mahmood also told BBC Breakfast: “Arrests have been made and the police investigation is continuing at pace.

“We will, of course, provide more information as that comes in from the police, but I think it’s important we don’t get ahead of what we know as the basic facts of what has happened.”

The two men killed in the terror attack have been named by police as 53-year-old Adrian Daulby and 66-year-old Melvin Cravitz. Three others remain in hospital with serious injuries.