An attempted terrorist attack targeting the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, was thwarted Sunday morning by worshippers and police. The assault occurred shortly after 9:30 a.m. local time on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed that congregants successfully prevented the attacker from entering the synagogue. Armed officers responded within seven minutes and fatally shot the suspect, who was wearing a vest designed to resemble an explosive device.
Authorities have since declared the incident a terrorist attack. Assistant Metropolitan Police Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who oversees counter-terrorism policing in the UK, stated, “An attack on the Jewish community today, on Yom Kippur, is devastating. Those who have been killed and injured are at the forefront of our minds.”
Although the suspect’s identity is believed to be known, it has not yet been formally released. Two additional individuals have been arrested in connection with the case. Bomb disposal units were dispatched to investigate the suspect’s vest, which led to the temporary lockdown of the synagogue and surrounding area.
Video footage verified by media outlets showed the suspect on the ground as officers surrounded him. When he attempted to rise, one officer fired a single round. Another video reportedly depicted a Jewish worshipper lying in a pool of blood near the synagogue entrance. Police have not yet confirmed the number or identity of those injured.
The UK government has significantly increased patrols around synagogues and Jewish sites across the country. Prime Minister Keir Starmer returned early from a European summit to lead an emergency COBRA meeting. He condemned the attack, saying, “We will do everything possible to keep our Jewish community safe.”
The Israeli Embassy in London also issued a statement, calling the assault “abhorrent and deeply distressing.” The incident remains under investigation.
