Manchester synagogue attack review after police admit phones were not examined before deadly assault

Greater Manchester Police has apologised after admitting that mobile phones seized from the Manchester synagogue attacker months before the assault were not examined. The force said the omission meant potentially significant information was missed before Jihad Al-Shamie carried out the attack on Heaton Park Synagogue in Crumpsall on 2 October 2025. Two Jewish men were killed in the car and knife attack.

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Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said he was deeply sorry and accepted that the information on the devices would have prompted further investigative action. He said the phones were taken after Al-Shamie was arrested in February and again in September, but were not analysed. According to the force, the contents of the devices showed evidence of an extremist mindset, and the issue emerged during an internal review.

The admission has added to scrutiny of how police handled earlier contact with Al-Shamie before the attack. He was on bail for an alleged rape at the time of the synagogue assault, and the Independent Office for Police Conduct has confirmed it is investigating all previous contact between Greater Manchester Police and Al-Shamie before the attack. The watchdog said its review includes the actions taken in response to reports of crimes committed by him.

The case has also drawn in a separate terrorism-related conviction. Mohammad Bashir was jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years for plotting an attack with Al-Shamie at the UK's Defence Academy in Shrivenham. At Manchester Crown Court, details were heard of WhatsApp chats in which the pair discussed extremist views and preparing for a war, and the court was shown footage of them discussing becoming martyrs.

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That evidence has underlined the wider counterterrorism significance of the case. The attack at Heaton Park Synagogue has become a major test of police accountability and public confidence in how threats are assessed. The admission that seized devices were not reviewed raises questions about whether earlier analysis might have changed the course of the investigation.

It also comes against the backdrop of a separate misconduct inquiry involving one officer over the handling of allegations of rape and other sexual offences against Al-Shamie. What remains unclear is how much earlier police analysis of the phones might have altered the response, and whether any further disciplinary action will follow. The IOPC said that a decision on disciplinary proceedings will be made once its investigation concludes.

For now, Greater Manchester Police says it is carrying out an internal review, while the wider inquiry into prior contact with Al-Shamie continues.

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