Manchester Jewish House of Worship Attack Casualties Named as Home Secretary Confirms Assailant Was Unknown to Law Enforcement
The two individuals fatally wounded in yesterday's attack on a synagogue in Manchester have been identified as 53-year-old Adrian Daulby and sixty-six-year-old Melvin Cravitz, authorities confirmed.
Local law enforcement stated formal identification is yet to take place but their relatives have been informed and specialist support staff are providing assistance.
Six-Minute Terror Occurs
The victims were killed when an attacker used a car to crash through the premises of the local Jewish worship center in Crumpsall, then stabbed congregation members in a six-minute rampage that concluded when specialist police fired upon him.
Three others were critically wounded in the attack on Judaism's holiest day, the most sacred occasion in the Jewish calendar.
Perpetrator Identified
Police named the attacker on yesterday evening as Jihad al-Shamie, thirty-five, a British citizen of Syrian descent.
Investigating authorities disclosed that three other people – two men in their 30s and a woman in her sixties – had been detained “on suspected involvement of commission, preparation and instigation of terrorist activities”.
Official Statements
The interior minister has stated that the individual who perpetrated the attack in the region was unknown to the police.
“In terms of the perpetrator, this person was unknown to the security services,” commented the Home Secretary.
“He has obviously been shot dead at the location, but the police investigations will now continue at pace.”
Autopsies of the victims – each individual are from Crumpsall – will be conducted during the day.
Heightened Protection Measures
The security service and specialist units will operate at a heightened state of alert in the near future, reflecting concern that the Manchester synagogue attack may be replicated elsewhere.
Policing at synagogues nationwide is to be increased.
Jewish Population Effects
Feelings of safety in the UK's Jewish population have declined sharply in the last couple of years, according to the largest study of UK Jewish residents.
The research found thirty-five percent of Jewish individuals felt insecure in the UK in the current year, compared with 9% in two years prior.
We'll bring you the latest developments on this situation as we get them.
