Police stop alleged terror attack on Manchester’s Jewish community

Police are investigating an alleged threat against the Jewish community after two suspects were arrested in Manchester as part of a counter-terrorism operation.

The pair were detained by officers on Newton Street in the Northern Quarter at around 2.45pm on Sunday 20th September.

The men were arrested under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and remained in custody.

Searches were also carried out at addresses on Lancaster Road in Salford and Epworth Street in Liverpool as part of the investigation.

The arrests came as Jewish communities across Greater Manchester prepared for Yom Kippur, one of the most important dates in the Jewish calendar.

Police have not released details of the alleged plot but the current national terror threat level is rated as ‘severe’ which means an attack is considered ‘highly likely’.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said:

“This has been a long-running proactive investigation which has led to the disruption of what we believe to be a plot to target the Jewish community in the Manchester area.”

“Counter Terror policing continues to focus our efforts on identifying and disrupting those who wish to cause harm in our communities.”

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The investigation came almost a year after the terrorist attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, which killed Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby.

Marc Levy, chief executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester, said:

“We are immensely grateful to Greater Manchester Police, the Metropolitan Police and the security services for their work in preventing another potential tragedy and for the extensive protection they continue to provide.“

“One year on from the murder of Melvin and Adrian, the Government must redouble its efforts to tackle the root causes of the hatred and extremism that are espoused in places of worship and other community spaces that continue to motivate people to target Jews.”

Counter Terrorism Policing has asked anyone with information or concerns to contact police through the official reporting channels.

If you are a University of Manchester student seeking support, you can access 24/7 wellbeing services through the university and the Students’ Union. You may also contact the Jewish Chaplain, Rabbi Eli Simon, at [email protected], or reach the Multi-faith Chaplaincy team. Immediate help on campus is available via the SafeZone app or by calling Campus Support and Security on 0161 306 9966.

If you are a Manchester Metropolitan University student seeking support, you can access wellbeing and counselling services through the University’s Student Support team. The University’s Chaplaincy and multi-faith services are also available. Immediate support on campus can be accessed through Campus Security.

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