Police Apologize for Missed Opportunity Before Synagogue Attack

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) seized Al-Shamie's mobile devices in February and September 2025, yet these critical pieces of evidence remained unexamined before the synagogue attack.

Sir Stephen Watson, GMP Chief Constable, issued an apology, acknowledging the profound oversight; the seized phones contained substantial data, revealing Al-Shamie's extremist mindset, including his involvement in violent jihad and detailed plans for attacks on both a synagogue and a military base.

This intelligence lay dormant, unreviewed, until after the October 2, 2025, assault, despite GMP protocols prioritizing device examination, especially for individuals with extremist ties or prior offenses.

This failure represents a clear missed opportunity, particularly given Al-Shamie's history of prior arrests for threatening Jewish residents in Antwerp with an emergency hammer and for allegedly planning a terror attack in Jerusalem, where authorities found him with illegal weapons.

The unexamined data would have undoubtedly spurred further investigative action, including reconnaissance activities at the UK Defence Academy in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire, and discussions about violent jihad with a friend later convicted of espionage.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) now reviews GMP's handling of Al-Shamie's past investigations, a critical examination targeting police protocols and aiming for enhanced coordination and information sharing among agencies to prevent future failures.

This also addresses historical intelligence sharing deficiencies in Greater Manchester, particularly concerning child sexual exploitation cases, echoing historical intelligence failures reminiscent of the 7/7 London bombings, where intelligence gaps later emerged as contributing factors.

Community leaders in Greater Manchester demand comprehensive reforms from GMP and the IOPC, calling for improved community engagement, better officer training in handling violent incidents, and stricter oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability.

Public pressure on law enforcement to prevent such attacks remains immense, with communities demanding assurances of future safety, especially during religious holidays, even as Manchester had several counter-terrorism protocols in place leading up to October 2, 2023, including the National Security Act 2023.

Beyond Al-Shamie's direct actions, a wider network of extremism emerges: Mohammad Bashir received a 17-year prison sentence for plotting a separate terrorist attack with Al-Shamie at the UK Defence Academy in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire.

Prosecutors confirmed Bashir's non-involvement in the synagogue attack, but his collaboration with Al-Shamie reveals a deeper extremist connection.

Jonathan Polnay KC, during proceedings at Manchester Crown Court, described Mohammad Bashir as a 'long-standing, committed jihadist,' stating the planned attack mirrored Al-Shamie's later actions, involving weapons designed for multiple fatalities and national impact.

Prosecutors asserted Bashir and Al-Shamie shared an 'extremist world view,' discussing 'violent jihad' in a chat group and detailing 'war' preparations in WhatsApp conversations.

The Defence Academy, their target, provides professional defense and security education, hosting up to 4,000 people, including officers from the Israeli Defence Force, whom Al-Shamie specifically planned to kill, believing they were present there.

Bashir attempted to conceal his activities, erasing content from a phone before his November arrest at Manchester Airport, yet claimed to a probation officer that he no longer held extremist views and regretted his actions.

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb rejected this claim, stating Bashir continued to hold extremist views.

The inquests into the deaths of Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby are scheduled for spring 2027, promising further scrutiny of the events preceding the tragedy.