A terror attack unfolded at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester on Thursday, October 2, 2024, coinciding with Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The perpetrator, 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, was shot dead by armed officers after carrying out a knife and car attack that tragically claimed the lives of two men, Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53. In addition to the fatalities, four other individuals sustained injuries, with three remaining hospitalized in serious condition days after the incident.

Following the atrocity, a former partner of Al-Shamie publicly disclosed a disturbing history with the attacker. She recounted being 'groomed' by Al-Shamie, whom she initially met through the Muslim dating app Muzmatch. During their intermittent relationship, she alleged he indoctrinated her with extreme views, presenting her with 'extreme videos' and urging her to 'be dedicated to the cause'. Her testimony further detailed instances of him stalking her near her workplace and home, engaging in messaging with other women, and expressing alarming 'rape fantasies' alongside a declared desire to 'join ISIS', which she initially dismissed as non-serious.

The harassment from Al-Shamie persisted even after their separation, with a barrage of abusive messages sent via the Revolut banking app. These included chilling statements such as: "We had a good year or so. I enjoyed destroying you hundreds of times. In your prime." and "Your [sic] so childish. Unblock me. And give me ur snap like I asked." The former partner also revealed a controlling voice note from their relationship, where Al-Shamie attempted to dictate her diet, stating, "Your main issue is, because you don't eat, your metabolism is slow," and offering unsolicited dietary advice like avoiding sugary drinks and skipping meals. Reflecting on the experience, she admitted, "He used to say weird stuff. It was just insane. I can't believe I stayed as long as I did."

In the aftermath of the attack, residents who were evacuated from the immediate vicinity of Middleton Road, Crumpsall, were eventually granted permission to return to their homes. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that a 'reduced cordon' remained in effect around the scene, while reassuring the community of increased patrols and continued police presence. The Abraham Moss Centre in Crumpsall served as a crucial support hub for those displaced, and GMP extended its gratitude to the local community for their patience, understanding, and resilience during the initial three days of intensive police operations.

The investigation into the terror attack is reportedly "continuing at pace," with significant police resources allocated to "establish the full picture" of events. Initially, four individuals arrested in connection with the attack remained in custody as police secured extra time for questioning. However, an 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man, who had been apprehended in Farnworth, were subsequently released without any further action.

The tragic event took an additional controversial turn when Sham Uddin, a practicing barrister, sparked widespread public outrage by disseminating claims that the Israeli government had 'orchestrated' the Manchester synagogue attack. Merely 24 hours after the incident, Uddin posted a video across his social media platforms, asserting, "it is rumoured that the Israeli government orchestrated the attack... The Israeli government has sleeper cells in the UK and the USA and they activate them at their will." To substantiate his claims, he controversially referenced Mossad's pager attack on Hezbollah in September 2024.

Uddin further amplified his accusations by alleging that the Israeli government is also conspiring to assassinate King Charles "just before the elections in order to get the right wing activated and in order to create a race war in the UK." Uddin, who identifies himself as a "barrister-at-law, accredited mediator, writer, and philosopher," was formally qualified in March 2015 and currently holds a valid licence to practice until April 2026. He has a documented history of sharing anti-Israel content on social media, including a conspiracy theory suggesting the October 7 Hamas attack was a "false flag operation" carried out with the "connivance of certain parts of the Israeli government" to facilitate the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. He also unsuccessfully ran as an independent MP in 2024.

The advocacy group Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) promptly and unequivocally condemned Uddin's assertions as "deranged conspiracy theories." A CAA spokesperson declared, "Less than a day after Jews were murdered outside their synagogue, a barrister is circulating deranged conspiracy theories that the Jewish state carried out the attack. His delusional allegation that Israel is plotting to assassinate the King is grotesque, incendiary and dangerous." The CAA urged the Bar Standards Board (BSB) to immediately suspend and investigate Uddin, and called upon the police to scrutinize the material, warning that such "bile risks sparking violence" and expressing profound concern that hatred could escalate into violence if authorities failed to intervene.