Counter Terrorism Police have said that Manchester synagogue attacker, Jihad al-Shamie, pledged allegiance to the ISIS in a 999 call after the attack.
Al-Shamie, 35, made the phone call to emergency services after he drove his car into Jewish worshippers and hit a wall, Counter Terrorism Police North West confirmed.
The British citizen of Syrian descent carried out the attack on October 2 at Heaton Park Synagogue, coinciding with the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur.
Two worshippers were killed — Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53 — the latter of whom is believed to have died from police fire whilst running to the synagogue to stop Shamie.
Shamie was not previously on any records of Prevent, the UK government’s counter-terrorism programme.
However, counter-terrorism police can now confirm that they have firm reason to believe he was influenced by “extremist ideology.”
Rob Potts, the head of Counter Terrorism Police North West, said that minutes after the start of the attack, Shamie had called 999 to claim responsibility for the attack and pledge allegiance to ISIS.
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Potts said: “The attack continued, but thanks to the bravery of security staff, worshippers and the fast action of police, the attacker was prevented from gaining access to the synagogue.”
Counter-terrorism investigation continues
“At this stage of our investigation, we are more confident that he was influenced by extreme Islamist ideology,” Potts said.
“The 999 call forms part of this assessment. This remains a live counter-terrorism investigation.”
Six people were also arrested in the aftermath investigation of the attack, two of whom — a man and a woman — were arrested just hours after the incident.
However, they were released on Sunday evening.
The other four were said to be released on Wednesday but were kept for “further lines of questioning”, as counter-terrorism police detained them on “suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.”
Police also confirmed that a suspected explosive belt Shamie was wearing around his waist was a “hoax device” after being assessed.
Shamie was seen acting suspiciously outside the synagogue shortly before launching the attack.
He reportedly walked away when challenged but then returned 15 minutes later with a black Kia vehicle and deliberately drove his car into worshippers, ending with a collision into a wall.
“He then stepped out of the vehicle armed with a knife and resumed his attack. He had a second knife in his possession and was also wearing a hoax device on his person,” said Potts, head of Counter Terrorism Police North West.
Police have confirmed that they are still “in the relatively early stages” of their investigation and are actively seeking more information.
