Two men arrested over terror plot targeting Manchester Jewish community before Yom Kippur

Two men in their 30s were arrested in Manchester on suspicion of plotting to attack the Jewish community during Yom Kippur. Police say there is no ongoing threat to the public.

Manchester terror arrests: two men held over alleged plot against Jewish community

Two men have been arrested in Manchester on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack against the city's Jewish community, breakingnews.ie reports. The arrests took place on Newton Street on Sunday, hours before the start of Yom Kippur — widely regarded as the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

The suspects, both aged in their 30s, were detained under UK terrorism legislation by officers from the Metropolitan Police. Forensic teams were photographed searching a white Mercedes car surrounded by police vehicles at the scene.

Deputy assistant commissioner Vicki Evans, of Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP), described the operation as the result of a lengthy proactive investigation. "This has been a long-running, proactive investigation which has led to the disruption of what we believe to be a plot to target the Jewish community in the Manchester area," she said. Evans confirmed that detectives are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry but stressed that police do not believe there is any "ongoing threat" to the public in connection with the incident.

Both men were taken to a London police station following their arrest and remain in custody. They can be held until Sunday, 27 September.

'Utterly chilling' — reaction from the Community Security Trust

The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism across the UK, responded to the news with alarm, describing the suspected plot as "utterly chilling". The organisation noted that the arrests came close to the first anniversary of the terror attack at Heaton Park Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, which also took place on Yom Kippur.

On 2 October last year, Jihad Al-Shamie (35) drove a vehicle into the gates of Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue before launching a knife attack while wearing a fake suicide belt. Melvin Cravitz (66) died from multiple stab wounds inflicted by Al-Shamie. Adrian Daulby (53) was killed by a police gunshot fired during the response to the attack.

The CST said it had been "in close communication with police in Manchester and around the country throughout Yom Kippur" as part of its ongoing security operation over the High Holy Days. The organisation urged the Jewish community to "remain calm and alert, and to report any suspicious activity to police on 999 and then to CST."

Community groups call for action on root causes

The Jewish Representative Council for Greater Manchester said that security measures alone cannot be sufficient. "One year on from the murder of Melvin and Adrian, the government must redouble its efforts to tackle the root causes of the hatred and extremism that are espoused in places of worship and other community spaces that continue to motivate people to target Jews," the council said in a statement.

A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism echoed those concerns: "We are grateful to the authorities for their vigilance. But the Jewish community cannot rely on that forever. The authorities need to get lucky every time and the terrorists only once. Until the threat itself is confronted, British Jews will never be safe."

Police reassure communities across the country

Evans sought to reassure both the Jewish community and the wider public. "I want to reassure them we are working incredibly closely with colleagues in Greater Manchester Police and partners to ensure we're doing everything we can to keep them and the wider public safe," she said. She added that CTP is working with local police forces nationwide to provide "protective security support and advice for areas with Jewish communities, and particularly during the High Holy Day period."

Greater Manchester Police confirmed it is maintaining a visible presence in local communities throughout the High Holy Days. Chief superintendent Dave Meeney acknowledged that "events over recent days will have only added to already heightened concerns" in the Jewish community. "I want to make it absolutely clear that our work to provide as much visibility and security as we can through additional activity remains very much ongoing," he said.

Evans said she is "acutely aware" that the news will cause "further concern" to the Jewish community, particularly given the timing of the arrests during what she called "the significant High Holy Day period."

Source: Google News IE — Crime (en)