Mohammad Bashir, a 31-year-old man from Cheetham Hill, Manchester, has been charged with four terrorism offences following an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing North West. Bashir, who was arrested at Manchester Airport on November 27, faces one count of preparation for acts of terror and three counts of dissemination of terrorist publications. He was remanded in custody and was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday, December 5.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) stated that the charges against Bashir are linked to his conduct concerning Jihad Al-Shamie, the individual involved in the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue attack. Specifically, Bashir is accused of assisting Al-Shamie with an earlier 'hostile reconnaissance of a UK defence facility' by driving him there. This alleged act of preparation for terrorist acts is stated to have occurred on August 14, with the intention of assisting Al-Shamie to commit acts of terrorism. The facility's identity has not been publicly disclosed.

The three charges of disseminating terrorist publications involve Bashir allegedly transmitting the contents of specific materials into a WhatsApp chat group, including with Al-Shamie and others, with the intent to encourage acts of terrorism. These publications are identified as a series of lectures called ‘The Book of Jihad’, transmitted on November 8 last year; a video titled ‘Obstacles in the Path of Jihad’, transmitted on December 5 last year; and a video called ‘Virtues of Martyrs’, transmitted on December 18 last year. The charges allege Bashir was reckless as to whether his conduct would directly or indirectly induce or encourage acts of terrorism.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts of Greater Manchester Police clarified that these charges are "not directly linked to the terrorist attack which took place at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue" on October 2. In that attack, Syrian-born Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, was shot dead by armed police outside the synagogue after stabbing worshipper Melvin Cravitz, 66, who sadly died later in hospital. Adrian Daulby, 53, also lost his life after being hit by a police bullet during efforts to subdue Al-Shamie. Bashir was initially held on suspicion of commission, preparation, and instigation of acts of terrorism in relation to this synagogue attack but has since been released without charge concerning that specific incident.

Frank Ferguson, Chief Crown Prosecutor of the CPS’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, confirmed the decision to prosecute Bashir, stating that sufficient evidence exists for the charges. He emphasized the close collaboration with Counter Terrorism Policing North West throughout their investigation into Bashir’s conduct. The investigation into the synagogue attack itself remains live, with authorities continuing to appeal for any information that could be of assistance. Mohammad Asim Bashir, described as a British national of British Pakistani ethnicity, had his address noted as Shaftesbury Road, Cheetham Hill.