Manchester Islamist Terrorist Attack against Jews in Crumpsall
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
A suspected Islamist terrorist attack targeting a Jewish synagogue in the Crumpsall area of Manchester has left at least two people dead. The incident occurred in a neighborhood previously affected by Islamic extremist violence—in 2003, police officer Stephen Oake was killed there by an al-Qaeda operative during an anti-terror raid.
The BBC reports, “Two people have died in a car ramming and stabbing attack at a synagogue in Manchester, with the suspect shot by police.”
Today’s Islamist terrorist attack targeting Jews in Manchester occurred on Yom Kippur — the holiest day in Judaism.
One can only imagine the shock and distress felt by the Jewish worshippers and community members connected to the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall. Even though the threat of Islamist terrorism is not new in Manchester, the impact of such an attack — especially on a place of worship during Yom Kippur — is deeply unsettling and traumatic for those affected.
Manchester has experienced other serious Islamic terrorist incidents in recent years. In 2017, a suicide bombing at the Manchester Arena killed 22 people during a concert. Also, in 2013, British soldier Lee Rigby, born in nearby Middleton, was murdered in London by two individuals motivated by extremist Islamist ideology. Notably, the location of the recent attack against Jews is connected to Crumpsall via Middleton Road (that connects Crumpsall with Middleton), the same road associated with earlier events.
Manchester has also been linked to other terrorism-related plots and arrests, including individuals associated with Islamic extremist networks who sought to kill Jews in Manchester.
There have been no comparable incidents of religiously motivated terrorism in Manchester involving individuals from Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, or Sikh backgrounds during the same period. This highlights the ongoing challenge of addressing and preventing radicalization linked to Islamic extremist ideologies.
In 2011, two individuals — a husband and wife — were arrested in Greater Manchester for planning a terrorist attack. The pair, both motivated by Islamist extremism, were believed to have intended to target Jewish communities in Manchester using improvised explosive devices. During the trial, the jury was shown evidence of antisemitic incitement and rhetoric. The couple had also conducted online research into Jewish neighbourhoods and had travelled to these areas to carry out hostile reconnaissance in preparation for a potential attack.
In 2002, The Guardian reported: “The Libyan al-Qaeda cell included Anas al-Liby, who remains on the US government’s most wanted list with a reward of $25 million for his capture. He is wanted for his involvement in the African embassy bombings. Al-Liby was with bin Laden in Sudan before the al-Qaeda leader returned to Afghanistan in 1996.
The Guardian continues: “Astonishingly, despite suspicions that he was a high-level al-Qaeda operative, al-Liby was given political asylum in Britain and lived in Manchester until May of 2000 when he eluded a police raid on his house and fled abroad. The raid discovered a 180-page al-Qaeda ‘manual for jihad’ containing instructions for terrorist attacks.”
The latest suspected Islamist attack in Manchester underscores the ongoing threat posed by extremists operating within this ideological framework. Despite frequent assertions that “all communities have strong relations,” the recurring pattern of Islamist-inspired terrorism in Manchester reflects a persistent and deeply concerning reality. It highlights the need for continued vigilance, honest dialogue, and effective strategies to counter radicalisation while ensuring that such actions are not used to unfairly stigmatise broader communities.
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