TL;DR
- A 31-year-old man remains in custody for up to seven days as police investigate the fatal attack on the Heaton Park synagogue, which claimed two lives.
- The attacker, Jihad al Shamie, was shot by armed police after he assaulted worshippers with a knife during Yom Kippur, leading to the deaths of Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby.
- Inquests into the victims’ deaths have been adjourned until February, with police appealing for any further information related to the incident.
Police given more time to question man arrested over Heaton Park synagogue attack | UK News
Police investigating the attack on the Heaton Park synagogue, in which two people died, have been given more time to question a man arrested on suspicion of terror offences.
The man, 31, can now be held in custody for up to seven days from his arrest on Thursday, Greater Manchester Police said in a statement on Saturday afternoon.
Seven people have been arrested over last month’s attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue in Crumpsall.
Jihad al Shamie, a Syrian-born UK citizen, drove his car at worshippers gathering on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, before attacking others with a knife and trying to storm inside.
Armed police fatally shot al Shamie after he ran towards officers “aggressively” while carrying a knife and what police feared was an explosive device – later identified as a fake.
Worshippers Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, were killed.
Mr Daulby, who died from a single gunshot wound to the chest fired by an armed police officer, was described as a “quiet hero” who blocked the doors of the synagogue as it came under attack.
Father-of-three Mr Cravitz died from multiple knife wounds inflicted by al Shamie, an inquest at Manchester Coroner’s Court heard in October.
The inquests into the deaths of both men have been adjourned until February next year.
Three other men were treated in hospital for serious injuries. Two have since been released, police said on Thursday.
An inquest into the death of al Shamie heard he was identified by his fingerprints and evidence, including his car, phone and inquiries with his immediate family in the aftermath of the attack.
At the hearing in October, Judge Alexia Durran, the chief coroner of England and Wales, said her provisional findings were that al Shamie died of gunshot wounds.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct found no misconduct in the police response.
In a statement on Thursday, assistant chief constable Rob Potts, from Counter Terrorism Policing North West, said: “The loved ones of Mr Daulby and Mr Cravitz have been updated on this development, as have those who were seriously injured in the attack.
“Our investigation is continuing, and I would once again appeal for anyone with information that they think could assist our enquiries to please come forward.”
