Two Iranian men remanded over alleged Manchester Jewish-site bomb plot

Two Iranian men have been remanded into custody after appearing in Westminster Magistrates' Court over an alleged plot to target Jewish sites in Manchester. Salam Ahmadyan, 36, of Liverpool, and Rahman Salehi, 34, of Salford, are accused of engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts. Prosecutors said the alleged targets were Manchester Jewish Museum and Heaton Park Synagogue, and that the men were observed carrying out hostile reconnaissance.

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The court heard that the pair were arrested on 20 September, ahead of Yom Kippur, and that they are accused of planning to use a homemade explosive device. Prosecutor Mark Luckett said they were in contact with a third party who is alleged to have directed and coordinated the planned attack and provided instructions on how to assemble a home-made explosive device. He said that person is assessed to be an Iranian national, most likely operating from within Iran.

District Judge Nina Tempia remanded both men in custody and set their next appearance at the Old Bailey for 23 October. Counter Terrorism Policing said the investigation included searches at addresses in Liverpool and Salford. The allegations also include acquiring liquids, components and equipment needed to manufacture or assemble an improvised explosive device, as well as using the internet to identify and research potential targets.

The case is significant because it involves alleged planning against Jewish community sites during the period around Yom Kippur, one of the holiest dates in the Jewish calendar. It also raises questions about the role of an alleged overseas coordinator and the extent to which the plot may have been directed from outside the United Kingdom. The charges come amid heightened concern about threats to Jewish communities and the security of religious sites.

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According to the court hearing, Salehi arrived in the UK by small boat in 2020 after previously claiming asylum in Germany, and was granted asylum in the UK in 2023. Ahmadyan arrived by small boat in 2023 and has an outstanding asylum claim. Those details have added a political dimension to the case, although the charges themselves relate to alleged terrorist preparation rather than immigration status.

What remains unclear is how far the alleged planning progressed, whether any further suspects are being investigated, and what evidence will be tested at the next hearing. The court process is now moving to the Old Bailey, where more detail may emerge. Until then, the confirmed facts are limited to the charges, the remand decision, the alleged targets and the claim of overseas direction.

British authorities have charged two Iranian nationals over an alleged plot to carry out a terrorist attack in Manchester, with police saying the suspected target was the Jewish community in northern England. The case is now moving into the court process after the men were arrested in Manchester on 20 September and later charged by the Crown Prosecution Service. They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Saturday.

The suspects are Rahman Salehi, 34, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, according to the prosecution. Police said they were charged with preparing to commit or assisting another to commit an act of terrorism in Manchester on or before Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, which began at sundown on 20 September. Counterterrorism officers said the pair allegedly tried to obtain components and equipment to make an improvised explosive device and carried out reconnaissance on potential targets.

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Investigators also said the men were in contact with an overseas third party who may be in Iran in relation to the alleged plot. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the case showed the range of serious threats facing the country from the Iranian regime, while senior counterterrorism officer Vicki Evans said the news would cause concern in the Jewish community and wider public. Police said the alleged plot had been disrupted, and they do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public.

The timing has added to the sensitivity of the case because it came during the High Holy Day period, when synagogues are typically heavily attended. It also comes a year after a deadly attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, which police cited as part of the wider context for concern. The allegations have therefore raised questions not only about public safety in Manchester, but also about the security of Jewish communities across the UK.

The Home Office said both men arrived in the UK by small boat from Europe several years ago, with one granted asylum and the other having a live asylum claim. Those details have given the case a political dimension, although the charges themselves relate to alleged terrorist preparation rather than immigration status. The prosecution has not yet set out the full evidence in open court, and the precise nature of the alleged target remains undisclosed.

What remains unclear is whether any other people are being investigated, how far the alleged planning progressed, and what further evidence will be heard in court. The next key development is the hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, where prosecutors may provide more detail. Until then, the confirmed facts are limited to the arrests, the charges, the alleged contact with an overseas third party and the police claim that the plot was stopped before any attack could take place.

Counter Terrorism Policing has charged two Iranian men over an alleged bomb plot targeting the Jewish community in Manchester. Salam Ahmadyan, 36, of Liverpool, and Rahman Salehi, 34, of Salford, were arrested in Manchester on 20 September and have now been accused of engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts. They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court, with the case moving into the court process after the arrests and investigation.

Police said the men are alleged to have been in contact with an overseas third party who may be in Iran in relation to the plot. Counter Terrorism Policing also said the suspects were instructed to make a chlorine bomb and are accused of acquiring liquids, components and equipment needed to manufacture or assemble an improvised explosive device. Investigators further allege they used the internet to identify and research potential targets, obtained images, plans and maps, and carried out reconnaissance of possible locations for an attack.

The arrests came shortly before the start of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, when synagogues are typically heavily attended. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the case was a stark reminder of threats from both terrorists and foreign state actors, while senior counter-terrorism officer Vicki Evans said the investigation had disrupted what police believe was a plot targeting the Jewish community in Manchester. Police said they do not believe there is any ongoing threat to the public in relation to the matter.

The case has wider significance because it combines allegations of domestic terror planning with claims of overseas contact and possible foreign involvement. It also comes amid continuing scrutiny of security threats to Jewish communities in the UK, particularly around major religious observances. The alleged use of a chlorine bomb and the reported reconnaissance of targets suggest a level of planning that has prompted a joint investigation involving counter-terrorism officers and security services.

According to the information released so far, both men arrived in the UK by small boat in 2020 and 2023. It is understood that one was granted asylum and the other has a live asylum claim. Those details have added a political dimension to the case, although the charges themselves relate to alleged terrorist preparation rather than immigration status.

What remains unclear is the full extent of the alleged plot, whether any other suspects are being sought, and what evidence will be heard in open court. The next key development is expected at Westminster Magistrates' Court, where the charges and any further details may be set out. Until then, the confirmed facts are limited to the arrests, the charges, the alleged target and the police claim that the plot was disrupted before any attack could take place.

Two Iranian nationals have been charged with terror offences over an alleged plot to target the Jewish community in Manchester ahead of Yom Kippur. Counter Terrorism Policing said Rahman Salehi, 35, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, are accused of preparing to commit an act of terrorism or assisting another person to do so on or before 20 September. The pair were arrested in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where thousands of British Jews were in synagogues at the time.

They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday. The charges were announced on 2 October, and the case is now moving into the court process after the arrests and investigation. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the news would be deeply distressing to the Jewish community.

She also said both suspects arrived by small boat several years ago. That detail adds a political dimension to the case, which comes amid continuing scrutiny of border security, migration routes and the handling of suspected extremist threats. The alleged target of the plot gives the case wider significance beyond Manchester.

Yom Kippur is one of the most important dates in the Jewish calendar, and synagogues are typically heavily attended. Any allegation of a planned attack at that time is likely to heighten concern among Jewish communities and increase pressure on police and security agencies to reassure the public. Counter Terrorism Policing has not released further details about the alleged plan, and the court process will determine what evidence can be made public.

It is also not clear from the available information whether the men have entered pleas or whether any other suspects are being sought. The next key development will be their appearance before Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday. The case sits within a broader pattern of counterterrorism investigations in the UK, where police and prosecutors often move first to charge suspects before setting out fuller allegations in court.

For now, the confirmed facts are limited to the arrests, the charges and the stated focus on the Jewish community in Manchester. Further updates are likely to depend on what is said in court and whether investigators disclose more about the alleged plot.

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