An Islamic terrorist who killed two people in a car and knife attack at a synagogue in Manchester has been named by police.
Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, a British citizen of Syrian descent, was shot dead by armed officers minutes after he targeted Heaton Park Synagogue on Thursday morning.
It is understood he entered the United Kingdom as a young child, before being granted British citizenship in 2006.
Two men aged in their 30s and a woman in her 60s have been arrested on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack, police added.
The horror began at 9.31am when Al-Shamie – who is yet to be formally identified -rammed into people with a car before stabbing a man outside the synagogue.
Two Jewish men were killed and three others seriously injured in the attack, which unfolded on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Police said officers were ‘working to understand the motivation behind the attack’. Earlier the Daily Mail exclusively revealed that the suspect was an Islamic terrorist.
Al-Shamie’s name has reportedly not appeared in initial searches of police and security service records, and he is not thought to have been under investigation.
Further checks are being carried out to see if any of his details appear anywhere in records of other investigations.
In a statement on Thursday evening, Greater Manchester Police said: ‘We are now able to confirm that, although formal identification is yet to take place, we believe the person responsible for today’s attacks is 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie.
‘He is a British citizen of Syrian descent.
‘A suspicious device worn by the attacker during the incident has been assessed and was deemed not to be viable.
‘Based on what we currently know, our records do not show any previous Prevent referrals relating to this individual.’
The force confirmed that the two people who were killed in the attack were both men – although they are yet to be identified.
Three other men are currently in hospital with serious injuries. One sustained a stab wound and a second was struck by the car involved in the attack.
Greater Manchester Police added: ‘We are working to formally identify those who have tragically been killed and provide support to their loved ones, in addition to the injured and the wider community.
‘We are working to understand the motivation behind the attack as the investigation continues.’
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