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be feeling uh right now. Today is Yam

Kapor as I understand and obviously I

think that explains why people were

around why there was a number of people

gathered outside uh the the synagogue

and you know why lots of people were

attending a a service. So you know we we

understand this is a a situation uh that

probably is linked to the fact that it's

yam kapore you know a day of celebration

for the Jewish community can only

imagine how uh people are are feeling

when they they hear this news the you

know the fear that that will will bring

but let's counter that with some

reassurance for people because of the

speed with which this has been dealt

with and the fact that um GMP were on

were on site within within minutes. Um,

also it seems Mike as though the

security staff at the synagogue have

really done an amazing thing and uh and

it seems uh intervene to keep a great

deal of people safe. How reassured are

you by and obviously you've you've got

to be circumspect with what you say and

you can only repeat what you actually

know rather than speculating but how

reassured are you by uh the speed with

which it appears GMP have acted in this

situation?

Oh it's massively reassuring isn't it?

um you know they were I read out the the

the figures Mike you know I could come

back uh to that but it if you go back to

the statement that I just um just

referred to the uh the call from the

public uh came in at um just to make

sure just calling it up on my phone. The

call from the public came in at 9 um

9:31. fire arms officers deployed uh at

9:34

and uh an individual uh shot at 9:38.

Uh so you have to say that was 7 minutes

until the incident was was dealt with

and and hopefully dealt with in terms of

no further uh implications if you like

for safety in in the community. Um we

don't know fully that yet, but obviously

um it's been dealt with as swiftly as

you could you could hope.

Uh that was the Greater Manchester Mayor

Andy Burnham talking to our colleagues

at BBC Radio Manchester. I'm here with

our news correspondent Sha Dilly just

bringing you this breaking news about an

incident in Manchester. Um just take us

through Sean uh again what we know for

those uh viewers who are just tuning in.

Yeah, that's right. For anybody who's

just picking this up now, uh this

morning, uh Greater Manchester uh police

received a call at 9:31 from a member of

the public reporting to police operators

that there was a vehicle driving towards

a crowd and that they had attacked

people with a knife. Police had

immediately deployed resources. Armed

officers had arrived on that scene at

9:34, 3 minutes after that call. Uh a

couple of minutes later, 9:37,

um controllers, senior officers had

declared the issue as a serious

incident. At 9:38 this morning, uh

police officers or police officer, at

least one police officer has shot a

firearm. Uh and it's believed that the

suspect, according to the Manchester

Mayor, Andy Burham, was the person who

was shot and has since died. Immediately

after that shooting, well 3 minutes

after that, the Northwest Ambulance

Service, presumably cleared by police

commanders on the ground at that point,

have moved in to treat uh those

casualties who would be there. Now, that

would include uh the suspect.

Now, we need to talk about the location.

Um it was uh outside Heaton Park Hebrew

Congregation Synagogue. Of course, today

is a very important day in the Jewish

religious calendar. We heard the Greater

Manchester Mayor Andy Bernham talking

about the fact that because it is Yam

Kipur, that's why there would be people

outside um the synagogue uh today.

People will be drawing conclusions as to

the location of this uh attack.

That's right. 3 miles north of uh

Manchester City Center. It has a high uh

Jewish population. The other bit of news

we we we could sort of bring you there

as well as you'll see on the BBC News

live page and on your app is that four

members of the public have injuries from

the vehicle and stab wounds. So we are

talking about what the Northwest

Ambulance Service uh did then move on to

declare as a major incident and we are

continuing to receive information. from

Greater Manchester Police said, as we

earlier covered, that officers were

called to an incident at Middleton Road

in Crumpsell on Thursday where a man

who's believed to be the offender was

shot by firearms officers. Police said

it is declared Plato. Um, I'll explain

that term in a minute. That's a police

operational name. Um, so it's a national

code word. In fact, it goes on to do

that. Uh, code word used by emergency

services to uh cover uh or responding to

a marauding terror attack. Now, in a

statement, the force had said that they

had been called to the Heaton Park

Hebrew Congregation uh synagogue on

Middleton Road at 9:31, as we've

covered, by a member of the public,

stating that he had witnessed. So,

according to the statement, we now know

that it's a man who called police

officers uh that he had witnessed a car

being driven uh towards members of the

public and that one man had been

stabbed. That was the situation 9:31.

That could have changed. Of course, the

force said that it had declared a major

incident at 9:37 a.m. and the statement

continued that shots were fired by

Greater Manchester Police firearms

officers at 9:38 a.m. One man has been

shot, says Greater Manchester Police

believed to be the offender. They do

just go on to clarify that paramedics

arrived at the scene at 9:41 as Andy

Bham said earlier uh and that they were

attending to members of the public. Uh

there are currently four members of the

public with injuries caused both by the

vehicle and stab wounds. Members of the

public are asked that members of the

public, that's police speak, four people

are asked to avoid the area while police

continue to deal with this incident and

it will be a very very serious incident.

Yeah, indeed. Um we just saw some of

those first images there um from the

scene. Uh, as Sean was saying, there is

a BBC News live page running on the

website with all of the latest lines,

with all of the latest updates. So, uh,

please stay with us here, but also, um,

stay across it on the BBC News website.

And those images coming from the scene

that I'm looking at show a considerable,

um, police presence. Um, they also show

considerable ambulance, uh, presence

there as well. I think it's worth for

viewers uh just joining us to just go

through the key points uh as well. So

this is a major incident at a synagogue

in Manchester. Let's take you through

what we know so far. So, the police

responded at 9:31 BST, so an hour and a

half ago, to reports of a car driving

towards members of the public and a man

being stabbed at Heaton Park Hebrew

Congregation Synagogue Synagogue. A

major incident was declared by Greater

Manchester Police with firearms officers

being deployed to the scene. When

paramedics arrived at the scene, they

found four people injured. Police saying

these injuries were as a result of both

a vehicle and stab wounds. One man has

been shot. Police say he is believed to

be the offender. Manchester Mayor Andy

Burnham has been talking to our

colleagues at BBC Radio Manchester this

morning. uh he has said that it is

believed that the offender has died but

that information has not been confirmed.

He has also uh given some reassurance to

the local community that the immediate

danger appears to be over but also

asking members of the public to avoid

the area to allow the police to deal

with this incident. and Sean with all of

these um things. We're just actually

seeing the first live pictures uh from

the scene. We can see all those uh

emergency uh vehicles across the road.

And just remind us again where this

incident has taken place and the

significance Sean of the location

particularly at this time of year.

Yeah, this is in Crumpsel, three miles

north of the city center. It is

Yonkapore today. It's it's the holiest

time in the Jewish calendar. people

would be congregating not just outside

of this synagogue but synagogues uh

across the country. Uh it's incredibly

uh important to say that uh obviously

what happens now is police forces across

the country will be working with

partners in intelligence and even police

special branch uh to look at whether

there's any credible intelligence to

protect anybody as necessary. We won't

speculate on that. What we can tell you

is a little bit about how the

investigation now unfolds because the

first that Greater Manchester police

were apparently aware of this on the

face of the statement was at 9:31 this

morning when a male member of the public

we find out has called to report the

vehicle driving towards crowds and a

knife attack. They have fairly quickly

um implemented something called

Operation Plato. So it's not just a

police thing. It's fire service. It's

it's ambulance. Operation Plato is the

code name for a marauding terror attack.

So what happens now is immediately

fairly fairly fairly basic. Somebody

would have run the details of the

vehicle through the police national

computer to see whether uh it is likely

that the uh suspected offender was in

fact the owner of that vehicle or how

they might have got those details. They

uh may have uh other identification on

them. If they've got a UK driver's

license, they ought to be able to uh

pull that photograph up fairly quickly.

What will be happening in already would

have been happening is special branch

officers in Greater Manchester Police uh

MI5 all of the security services will be

looking to find out what is known about

this person what links do they have what

possible motivation uh is there so you

know we will keep bringing you any

statements we receive on that but it

will be presumed to be hence the

operation Plato uh you know a suspected

terror attack to to some degree so

operation Plato is the name for how they

deal with a marauding terror back in

relation to when it's actually declared

as such. That hasn't happened yet, but

we'll bring you that news, not just

here, but on the BBC Live page.

Yeah, we're just looking at those

pictures again from uh the scene.

Obviously, lots of emergency vehicles

vehicles there. These are latest

pictures. Uh and clearly quite a

residential area uh from uh from the

pictures that we're looking at now. And

you know, although obviously the Greater

Manchester Mayor trying to reassure the

public that the incident is over, but

clearly this will have been an extremely

distressing incident for those people in

the area.

Very, very distressing and that's why

he's asking people to stay away. Within

the last couple of moments, we are aware

of video that's shared on social media.

Now, it appears to show police officers

pointing at somebody uh lying on the

ground that the armed officers have

shouted to onlookers, which is perfectly

standard, to get back. The person is

seen to start to get up before there is

a sound of a gunshot and then they fall

to the ground. Another person was shown

in that video lying motionless on the

ground outside of the synagogue gates uh

with blood near their apparent blood

near their head. Okay, Sean, for the

moment, Sean Dill, our news

correspondent who's here with me in the

studio. Uh, let's go now to uh the scene

in Manchester. The BBC's Anna Jameson uh

is there and uh this is her uh report

from the scene of this morning's attack.

Standing on the police cordon just on

the edge of Middleton Road where the

incident has taken place at the cross

junction between Manchester and Sulford

and Berry Old Road. And as you may be

able to hear, helicopters are flying

overhead. We've got sirens going every

two minutes. Police have cordoned off

the site. I've seen paramedics and the

fire service all on site. And as we've

just been told in the last few minutes,

Greater Manchester Police have now

declared a major incident. It's been

described as Plato. Now, this is the

code name for the UK police and

emergency services response uh marauding

terrorist attacks. It's their protocol

and this happens in the event of such

knife and vehicle attacks. Lots of

members of the public, including members

of the Jewish community, are gathering

round now to see what's happened. But

understandably, a huge shock to the

people of Greater Manchester this

morning. in Greater Manchester Police

received a call from a member of the

public who said he'd witnessed a car

being driven towards members of the

public at 9:31

a.m. Now, there are reports that a

security guard had been attacked with a

knife and 7 minutes later, shots were

fired by the Greater Manchester Police.

Let me just describe what's happening

now. We've had four police vehicles

driving towards the synagogue where the

incident is supposed to have happened.

Mike and a fire engine as well following

in suits. Let me just tell you what we

know already. Paramedics were at the

scene and police say the offender has

been shot. Four members of the public

are believed to have been injured caused

by both the vehicle and stab wounds. Uh

the immediate danger is over. Although

many people clearly understandably will

want to gather around and see what is

happening. People are being urged to

avoid the area if at all possible. Um,

as I say, this is a tense time

internationally and it's not the kind of

thing we want to see here on our

doorstep. Um, but as ever, we know,

don't we, Mike, that in events like

this, the Greater Manchester community

will come together.

Uh, that was the BBC's Anna Jameson

who's at the scene of the uh, attack in

Manchester. We will be talking to her

live shortly on the program. But before

we do that, uh the Greater Manchester

Mayor, Andy Burnham, has been giving uh

the details as he understands them.

Let's listen to what he's been saying.

Well, I I've just checked in uh with

Greater Manchester Police and at this

stage there's nothing further uh that

they think uh needs to be said, Mike,

but they do um confirm the things I have

said so far are accurate. Um so it's not

a sort of an incident that has kind of

uh been completed if you like. It's

still um an ongoing incident. That's why

people should avoid uh the area. But I

think we can give some reassurance that

uh it is as under much control as

possible and that the um you know the

risks of uh further uh further harm to

the public are reduced although not

completely removed. And I think

sometimes we do forget about this aspect

of your job for you for the rest of

today. What do you do now? What's what's

your what is your job today? What do you

have to do?

Well, it's it's obviously got my full

focus. Um and I'm not the police, of

course. You know, the police have to do

uh to do their job. It's my my

responsibility to support them in any in

any way through the rest of of today and

the other emergency services. Uh but

obviously I've got a very significant

role in relation to reassuring all of

our communities but particularly in this

instance the Jewish community who have

seen rising incidents of anti-semitism

uh over over recent times uh and uh have

been living with a higher uh state of of

anxiet anxiety because of the times that

we're that we're living in. So I um

imagine that uh my diary will sadly have

to change with the other commitments I

had. Uh and I will want to obviously uh

go to the community and meet members of

the Jewish community uh and you know

hear from them but also as much as I can

in this situation uh reassure them what

I can say to to people. you know, GMP

have the closest of relationships um

with um with the community security

trust who are there to protect the

Jewish community. And it would seem and

I don't want to speculate too much, but

it would seem that some of the security

used by our uh colleagues in the Jewish

community has really uh played a role

here in the in in preventing this being

a worse uh situation. So before you know

I know all of the facts here, I would

want to say as well um how much we um

applaud um those um who members of the

public who alerted us to the incident,

but also those who were on the site and

dealt with it before the police arrived.

You know, we we all owe them uh a huge

debt of thanks and we think about them

and their families right now as we as we

recover from this incident.

That was the Greater Manchester Mayor uh

Andy Bernham speaking to our colleagues

at BBC Radio Manchester in the last

hour. I'm just want to bring you a

statement from the Prime Minister Sakir

Stalmer. He has just issued this

statement. I'm appalled by the attack at

a synagogue in Crumpsil. The fact that

this has taken place on Yam Kapour, the

holiest day in the Jewish calendar makes

it all the more horrific. My thoughts

are with the loved ones of all those

affected and my thanks go to the

emergency services and all the first

responders. That statement there from

the prime minister Sakir Stalmer just

released following the attack uh outside

a synagogue in North Manchester. My

colleague Shan Dilly uh news

correspondent is here with us and um

clearly it's early days. Yeah,

we don't know the motivation, but

parallels are being drawn by the

location of this attack and the fact

that it is Yonipur.

Yeah, while we at BBC News wouldn't

speculate. Uh it is the job of the

emergency services and investigators to

explore be very open-minded of course

but to explore the uh very strong

possibility because it is such a holy

time because of the location as to what

the motivation could be and they will

work very quickly to rule that in or if

it were the case to rule it out. Um it

is worth just referencing the uh

community security trust which sort of

monitors anti-semitism across the UK. It

says that they are working with police

and the local Jewish community following

this serious incident at the uh

synagogue in North Manchester. We know

obviously Heaton Park and Middleton

Road. Um they say this appears to be an

appalling attack on the holiest day of

the Jewish year. We thank the GMP

officers, Greater Manchester Police, and

for the synagogue security for

responding immediately to deal with the

incident. That actually chimes with what

Andy Burnham, the Manchester mayor, has

just said, people stepping in to uh do

what you know was necessary in those

circumstances. We can't speculate what

that was, but it does look like that

non- police personnel did step in.

Thank you, Sean. Uh let us go to the

scene of the attack now and speak to my

colleague uh Anna Jameson uh who is in

Manchester for us. Anna, uh what can you

tell us uh about the timeline of what's

gone on and the situation currently

where you are?

Um yes, hello. Good morning. Well, what

I can see right now, I'm standing at the

police cordon and there are three

paramedics. I can see a fire and rescue

service engine and lots of emergency

services deployed on the scene. A number

of police on duty and offduty officers

here as well. And it's happened in the

heart of a residential community. Um, we

know it's happened at the Heaton Park

Hebrew Synagogue when Greater Manchester

Police received a call from the member

of the public to say that he'd witnessed

the car being driven towards members of

the public at 9:31 a.m. Now, there have

been reports that a security guard had

been attacked with a knife. 7 minutes

later, Greater Manchester Police say

that shots were fired by the force. One

man believed to be the offender has been

shot. Now, paramedics, as I say, are at

the scene. Four members of the public

are believed to have been injured,

caused by both the vehicle and the staff

wounds. You may be able to hear the

helicopters overhead as well. Lots of

members of the public gathering round at

the incident. I actually spoke to a

number of people from the Jewish

community and asked them to speak to me

um on camera, but they said they were

unable to because today it is the day of

atonement. It's the holiest day in the

Jewish year, Yam Kapor. and they said

that this combined with the anniversary

of the 7th of October attacks couldn't

be a worse time. There's meant to be 35

synagogues in the area. So, lots of

concern by locals um about the next

fourthcoming hours, but the message from

Greater Manchester Police is that the

incident has been contained and they are

calling for calm. Um, this is inevitably

a really difficult situation for many

people living here of all faiths and all

backgrounds. But Greater Manchester has

a long history of big profile incidents

happening and always the Greater

Manchester community comes together and

there's no doubt in my mind that it will

happen again. Um, just to be aware as

well that Greater Manchester Police have

declared this as a major incident. It is

described as Plato. Uh this is the

response protocol for marauding

terrorist attacks such as knife or

vehicle attacks. But as I say clearly a

huge shock to people this morning here

in Greater Manchester.

Yeah absolutely Anna and just uh take us

through again. So the situation uh as as

you are there at the moment um the

situation we were hearing from Andy

Bernon was contained very quickly. Um

and certainly the sense from him to try

and reassure local people that the that

the danger is over. But as you say

there, clearly people in the area will

be extremely shocked by what's happened

this morning.

Absolutely. So just to repeat those

timings, it was 9:31 a.m. when the

incident is said to have taken place and

it was 7 minutes later that the

suspected offender was shot. So it, you

know, a very very quick response from

the emergency services. But just to

describe um where this um synagogue is

just for people who aren't local, it is

in the heart of a residential area.

Greater Manchester has a Jewish

community and this was slapbang in the

center of it in the Crumpol area. Um and

lots of people of all backgrounds, of

all cultures live here. Um and it

doesn't matter what faith you are. Lots

of people gathering round at the police

cord and really upset about what's

happened this morning.

Yeah, absolutely. Um we uh were getting

some more detail from uh Andy Burnham

and we don't know for definite but he

was saying that it is believed that the

deceased person the person who was shot

is the offender.

Yes, that's what we understand that the

offender is has been shot um and the

incident has now been contained and that

has been um echoed by Greater Manchester

Police have released that statement

confirming it in the last 5 to 10

minutes. Um, if uh viewers are just

joining us, just to to bring you up to

date that there has been an attack uh

involving an offender driving a car and

uh a stabbing incident in the uh North

Manchester area with uh police shooting,

it is believed shooting the offender

dead. In the last uh few minutes, we

have had a statement from the Prime

Minister Saki Starmer saying, "I'm

appalled by the attack at a synagogue in

Crumpsil. The fact that this has taken

place on Yam Kapour, the holiest day in

the Jewish calendar, makes it all the

more horrific. My thoughts are with the

loved ones of all those affected, and my

thanks go to the emergency services and

all the first responders. Uh you will

know that Saki Star was at a meeting of

European leaders in Denmark today. He is

going to fly home early from that

meeting to chair a Cobra meeting

following the attack at the synagogue.

Um Anna Jameson is at the scene for us.

And Anna, just remind us you were

talking it happened outside a synagogue,

but this is an area with with with five

synagogues. So clearly a very uh strong

Jewish community there.

Well, no, let let me um sorry, let me

correct you there. Um a local man who

who again couldn't speak to me because

it is Yonipore today and didn't feel

comfortable on camera said in this North

Manchester area there's 35 synagogues.

Um, so but maybe that will kind of give

you the picture of how big of a Jewish

community it is here, but you know

there's people of all faiths here.

There's a huge Muslim population here as

well Ukrainian population greater

Manchester is celebrated for its

diversity. Um, and so as inevitably it

is of huge multicultural faith. Um but

this as to repeat is this happened at

the Heaton Park Hebron Synagogue in

Crumbs um close to Heaton Park North

Manchester. Um and yeah um Greater

Manchester Police have declared that

major incident as plate. So forgive me,

you may be able to hear the helicopters

overhead. There is a huge emergency

services um present here right now which

hopefully will be giving some comfort to

local people living here. Yeah, we're

just looking at the latest pictures uh

here uh and uh we are seeing a lot of uh

emergency services vehicles. Um and also

what's clear Anna is that this is right

in the middle of a residential area.

It is. Yes. So um on Middleton Road

you've got it's in well just on the

border really of Manchester and Sulford

the two cities where the two meet. Um

and Crumpsol is hugely residential. the

schools, um, housing parks. It's a

really relatively quiet area unless

there was a a big gig happening at

Heaton Park. That's the only time it

tends to get really busy. So, um, it is

quite subdued here on most occasions.

But, uh, lots of people living here. Um,

and lots of people, as I say, you know,

just just very very shocked about what's

happened here this morning.

Absolutely, Anna. I mean that we are

getting um reaction from uh from across

the political spectrum. We heard from

the prime minister Sakir Stalmer talking

about the fact that he was appalled by

the attack um at the synagogue. We've

also had reaction from the conservative

leader KM Bedon. Uh she was speaking to

our colleagues at BBC Radio Bristol. Uh

she has said it does look like an

outrageous attack on the Jewish

community on their holiest day, Yam

Kapor. She calls it a vile and

disgusting attack. I know that many

Jewish people people she says in our

country feel that they are no longer

safe. My heart goes out to the people

have been who have been hurt by this and

everyone who has been affected. That is

uh comments from Kebby Kemmy Bened uh

the conservative leader in the aftermath

of this morning's attack uh in

Manchester. Uh in the studio here with

me uh is Sha Dilly. Uh Sean, I know that

you're keeping a cross reaction to this

as well. Um what is the latest in terms

of the uh the investigation, what the

authorities are saying?

So the investigation is unraveling as we

speak. They won't release much of those

details. We can talk a little bit about

what is going on, what is stand, what uh

what we can observe, our colleagues who

can physically see this on the scene. Uh

a white vehicle marked bomb disposal has

pulled up just outside the cordon area.

whether this is standards uh with an

operation Plato uh response which is the

emergency services pan name for a

marauding terror attack or whether there

are more specific reasons relating to

the vehicle or otherwise that is detail

that we don't yet know um just

immediately we know that the scene would

have been preserved as best it can the

biggest priority in operation Plato

having been briefed on this uh by

various emergency services in the past

is to neutralize any threat. Now, that

could be this incident that we know

about three miles north of Manchester or

any Operation Plato event. Once the

threat has been neutralized in this

case, we do believe the police firearms

officers has shot somebody who's

believed to be the suspect and believed

uh to be dead, that's when the top

priority kicks in, which is the

emergency response from the ambulance

service. They have to give first aid to

anybody injured. We know four people

injured, according to Greater Manchester

Police, either by the vehicle or the

stabbings. And then they've got a fifth

casualty, haven't they? In that the

person who has been shot, uh, they have

to try and resuscitate. And that's

something that the police would be

doing. But the investigation now moves

on to who this person is, what is known

about them. Have they got previous

convictions? Do they mark up on police

national database for intelligence? Are

they linked to any other attacks? So,

the details of the investigation, we

won't expect an update for a little bit.

And as soon as obviously we get that

from police or home office statements,

we will of course update.

And clearly um the gravity of the attack

and this situation um well exemplified

by the fact that the prime minister who

was at a high level meeting today in

Copenhagen. He's flying back from that

to chair a meeting of the government's

emergency COBRA committee in London this

afternoon. Just explain the significance

of that.

Well, I mean, look, Cobra meetings um

happen more than people think they do.

We all know that it stands for cabinet

office briefing room A, but basically

it's any major incident in Whiteall

where the prime minister needs to get

together with the whole cabinet uh to

discuss uh the response. They happen all

the time, but what is less uh usual is

for the prime minister to come back

meeting European leaders uh in in the

Danish capital. He has been briefed in

situ but that obviously they have to

look at the incident uh specifically and

whether there are any wider

ramifications. So we can read into that

that a full security response would be

expected. It would be standard. It would

be absolutely expected for somebody from

uh MI5 commonly known as MI5 the uh

security services to brief uh the

cabinet on what they know in relation to

here. And we know from the comments that

you read from Kimmy Badnock, the

conservative uh leader, where she said,

"I know I want to say to the Jewish

people all around our country, you

believe uh you belong here." She's

described um rising anti-semitism that

she says we're seeing in our country uh

and that it needs to be quelled

completely. So there are a couple of

really key points that politicians are

aware of. That's the immediate security

threat and it's the significance of

being around Yonkapur the most holiest

time in the Jewish calendar.

Absolutely. Um as you'd expect there are

uh responses as we've been saying coming

uh from across the political spectrum.

Let's uh uh have a look at the home

secretary Shabbana Mahmud uh has posted

this comment. I am horrified by the news

of an attack at a synagogue in

Manchester today on the holiest day in

the Jewish calendar. My first thoughts

are with the victims, our brave police

and emergency services. I'm being kept

updated by Greater Manchester Police. I

urge people to follow the advice of the

emergency services.

And news just in, if I may, uh police

have told the BBC that one of those

injured in this morning's incident was a

security guard. As would be typical in

synagogues, uh there is security there.

Uh but we have been told by the police

that security guard has been injured

this morning.

Okay. Um CST, that's the Community

Security Trust, which is the Jewish

security organization that provides

security to the Jewish community, have

issued the following statement on X. CST

is working with police and the local

Jewish community following a serious

incident at a synagogue in North

Manchester. This appears to be an

appalling attack on the holiest day of

the Jewish year. We thank the Greater

Manchester Police officers and synagogue

security who responded immediately to

deal with the incident. And Sean, we've

heard, haven't we, from um the mayor

Andy Burnham that the timeline here was

quite short. He was saying how quickly

uh this attack was uh was ended. And

that certainly seems to be the case

according to the times that timings that

we've seen.

Yeah. I mean, again, we've been talking

about the seven minute window. It

probably would extend to uh 8 minutes

because um a member of the public, a

male member of the public has seen a

vehicle drive towards a crowd and they

say stab use a use a a stabbing

implement. Now they've called 999. So

whatever time passes there, that call

was logged on police systems at 9:31.

They have immediately thrown resources

at this including authorized firearms

officers who are authorized to carry and

where necessary uh use firearms to

neutralize threats against themselves

and others. Uh the police have very

quickly arrived on scene. So that call

at 9:31 was responded to within 3

minutes. Anybody who knows how computer

aided dispatch works within the

emergency services will tell you that

that is about the fastest response you

could hope for. those firearms officers

uh on scene at that point. 3 minutes

after that one, almost certainly a

decision taken by an inspector with a

designation obstacle one in a control

room at Greater Manchester Police has

declared this as a serious incident. Uh

Operation Plato is then kicked in. The

emergency services all responding in

well rehearsed contingency plans

together to ensure that the scene's

dealt with. Uh 1 minute later, uh police

firearms officers have engaged the

individual who is believed to be the

offender and uh Andy Burnham and Greater

Manchester Police have both confirmed is

believed to be dead. Uh the operation

then to neutralize the threat done at

that point 7 minutes after the 999 call

then moves into the emergency rescue

phase of the operation both with the uh

paramedics coming in from the Northwest

Ambulance Service to answer these very

disturbing calls. Uh the authorized

firearms officers just by way of the

standard training they received they are

trauma medics. So they will also be

assisting with at least five casualties

we know of. At least one of those being

a security uh guard or a security

officer from the uh synagogue. And at

that point within 10 minutes you've got

999 call the whole situation

neutralized. The ambulance service on uh

scene doing their thing within 10

minutes.

Yeah, it's a very very quick response.

You can see there on your screen the uh

the statement issued by Shakir Starmmer

who as we know is on his way back from

Copenhagen to uh host a Cobra meeting

talking about the fact that he is

appalled uh by the attack and um linking

it to the fact that it's the holy day of

Yam Kipur. Uh Sakir Sama saying that

makes it all the more horrific. the Tory

conservative leader Kami Benedo telling

the BBC that this looks like an

outrageous attack on the Jewish

community on their holiest day. She

using the words vile and disgusting um

when talking about the attack.

Um we heard

yes sorry very fast for behind the

scenes we're receiving information. So,

um, there's another video shared on

social media, and you've got to bear in

mind people's perceptions may not be

what the investigation shows. Uh, but an

onlooker can be heard in that video

saying that the suspect has got a bomb

on him and appears to be trying to press

a button to detonate it. He's going to

blow himself up. The video is heard to

say he's trying to press the button. The

person's heard to say, uh, before there

is the sound of a gunshot, and the

person falls to the ground now. And just

to be clear, Sean Sean, where are you

getting that information from?

Uh, this is information coming to us

from BBC journalists within our newsroom

now advising us of video that is posted

to social media. Of course, with all

video uh we verify and we have already

verified some of the social media videos

out there by uh coordinating Google

Earth uh images with those uh videos

that are out there. this all news that

we we get here coming from our

colleagues in the BBC newsroom uh and

that is obviously a public forum social

media post.

Yeah, absolutely. And it's worth uh it

is absolutely worth reiterating BBC

verify is currently looking at the

footage linked to the attack. Um, as you

say, Sean, with anything like this,

because people have mobile phones, there

will be mobile phone footage um of the

events of this morning and uh BBC Verify

going through and just

and the press association have also uh

uh filed their words on that video as

well. So, yeah, so we'll keep we there's

lots of information coming in. We will

continue to bring it also on the BBC uh

live page. And we just the reminder,

it's a standard health warning. the fact

that there's a video and something

appears to be uh said that then needs to

be investigated that needs to be uh

verified that needs to be uh confirmed.

Uh but yes, we'll continue to bring that

information here.

Absolutely. Um it uh it seems like it

would have happened whatever happened

incredibly quickly. So that analysis

very important. Let's go back to the

scene and talk to uh my colleague Anna

Jameson uh who is there for us. Uh Anna,

just take us through what you've

gathered there from the scene.

Yes, good morning Sarah. I'm standing on

Edillum Road in the Console area of

Manchester. H just bordering between

Manchester and Sult. And as you can see,

there's a police scene behind me here.

The emergency services are here and a

number of people are gathering around me

with some who didn't want to go on

camera checking that their relatives are

safe. Apparently, they were in the

synagogue at the time of the incident

and they haven't yet heard from them.

They're desperately trying to seek

answers as to if they're okay. Um, in

the last 5 or 10 minutes, we've been

told that Fairfield Hospital in Berry

and Alden Hospital, the Olden Royal has

been put on lockdown as a precautionary

measure. So, that's some new information

that we've also had in the last 5

minutes. But the incident happened at

9:31 a.m. when somebody was well British

Manchester police actually received a

call to say that somebody had witnessed

a car being driven towards the Heaton

Park Hebrew Synagogue, one of apparently

35 synagogues according to local people.

And it is on the atonement day, the

holiest day in the Jewish calendar and

of course so close to the 7th of October

attached. very significant time of the

year for the community. Now, there were

reports that a security guard had been

attacked with a knife. Shots were fired

by Greater Manchester Police 7 minutes

later at 9:38. And we understand the

offender has been shot as well in the

incident is contained. We know that four

people are believed to have been injured

caused by both the vehicle and the stab

wounds. Now, um the Greater Manchester

Police have declared a major incident.

They've described it as Plato. Now, this

is the code name for when the police and

emergency services respond to a knife or

to a vehicle attack that has been

implemented as well in the last few

minutes. But as I've been hearing the

last hour, there's been an enormous

emergency services response and

presence. Uh you may be able to hear the

helicopters overhead. We've got police,

paramedics, the fire and rescue service,

um all on standby and lots of people um

curious and wondering what on earth is

going on in usually this relatively

quiet area of Greater Manchester um and

what has been a horrific morning for

people living here.

Yeah, Anna, perhaps you could um just

tell us a little bit about the area for

those that aren't familiar with that

area of Manchester.

Yeah, people may have heard of Heaton

Park before. Um, it's just close to

there, just the right hand side on the

map if you like at the Crumpsole area.

And it's a huge Jewish community here.

H, we understand the synagogue to be an

Orthodox synagogue, very traditional.

Um, and people of all faiths live here,

not just the Jewish community. There's a

large Ukrainian community nearby. We've

got the areas of Chet Hill. there's a

huge Muslim population who um you know

live side by side um all the time. You

know, it's it's it's a huge diverse

nature. So, this inevitably when we

heard the Midian incident, we thought it

may have been here and sure enough um it

was in this area. Um but it is hugely

residential, lots of schools, parks, um

and pretty quiet normally.

And Anna, um I just want I know I know

when you go to a scene like that there's

so much happening. I just wondered if

you'd had a chance to speak to anybody

or just to gauge the feeling because as

you're saying this is a residential area

and people mustly be hugely shocked as

as what's happened on their doorstep.

Absolutely. And a number of people from

the Jewish community have come out

dressed in white because as you say it

is the day of atonement. It is Yam Kapor

and because of that they didn't want to

speak to us on camera because it is the

holiest day of the year. But they said

that they were scared. they were fearful

about what's happened and it's kind of

been bubbling away. They said that they

felt something like this might happen um

because they were so nervous about

international events. Of course, we

don't know the motive for this attack.

Um but clearly tensions were already

high and as I say a number of people

have actually come to see whether or not

their relatives were in the synagog well

they believe they were in the synagogue

at the time but they wanted to make sure

that they are safe. Um, so they're

coming here asking the police for

answers to their questions really. They

haven't yet heard from them. Um, but

yeah, a lot of confusion for now and of

course we're keeping across all the

channels to find out exactly what is

going on.

Well, absolutely, Anna, because uh you

know what we're hearing of the timeline,

it it would have all happened so

quickly. um what just a couple of hours

ago now

um the Greater London Emergency Services

asking people to stay away from the area

because clearly there's a huge

investigation going on now. Um but but

people as you say they are they are

coming I guess trying to take stock of

of what's happened.

Absolutely. A lot of people with camera

phones trying to get their own shots and

accounts of of the incident. But the

message from Greater Manchester Police

and all the local authorities is please

do stay clear away from the incident.

This is a live investigation and need

space to carry out and find out exactly

what's gone in on here and make sure

that everybody is safe. So please, you

know, if if you do feel like you want to

come close and you live nearby, please

do avoid it because um inevitably it

won't it won't cause much good, I don't

think.

Anna, just for the moment, um do stay

there because obviously getting um

getting uh live updates from the scene

at something like this is incredibly

important, but just want to break away

for a second. There's been uh lots of uh

reaction coming from across the the

political spectrum to this uh reports of

this attack in Manchester. The mayor of

London has condemned the attack and says

policing will be scaled up at synagogues

across London. At this time of year when

uh Jewish people across the world are

commemorating Yom Kip, it's incredibly

worrying. We've seen this awful attack

on a synagogue in Manchester. I've been

in contact with uh the mayor of

Manchester, Andy Bernham, with the H

secretary and with the uh uh police uh

the police service will be stepping up

high visibly policing in and around

synagogues in uh London. I know as it is

uh Jewish people have been scared uh and

feeling scared over the last few uh

months indeed since October the 7th 2020

at three. I also know many want to go to

the synagogue and uh worship. I want to

reassure them uh that in London they

will be seeing additional uh police

officers. People should be allowed uh to

go about and practice their faith

knowing they're going to be uh safe.

Unfortunately, too many Jewish uh

Londoners, Jewish people across the

country, Jewish people across the globe

don't feel that way and that's

heartbreaking.

That's the mayor of London, Sadi Khn,

with his reaction. We know that the

prime minister is heading back from

Copenhagen to chair a meeting uh Cobra

meeting this afternoon. The mayor of

Greater Manchester, Andy Bernham, has

been talking to our colleagues at BBC

Radio Manchester about the incident.

Here's what he had to say.

It is a serious incident, I have to to

say. Um it is in the area that you

mentioned uh and I would say to people

listening uh firstly to avoid the area

uh because it is a it is a serious

incident. Obviously what we would all

want to recognize is how people in our

Jewish community will be feeling uh

right now. Today is Yam Kapore as I

understand and obviously I think that

explains why people were around why

there was a number of people gathered

outside uh the the synagogue and you

know why lots of people were attending a

a service. So, you know, we we

understand this is a a situation uh that

probably is linked to the fact that it's

Yamapore, you know, a day of celebration

for the Jewish community. Can only

imagine how uh people are are feeling

when they they hear this news, the the

fear that that will will bring. But

let's counter that with some reassurance

for people because of the speed with

which this has been uh dealt with and

the fact that um GMP were on were on

site within within minutes. Um also it

seems Mike as though the security staff

at the synagogue have really done an

amazing thing and uh and it seems uh

intervene to keep a great deal of people

safe. Let's not use this as a moment um

for speculation, as you said, Mike, for

rumor and for for division in

communities. Every single person in

Greater Manchester this morning should

be standing with our Jewish uh community

as they go through this uh this

experience, this trauma uh that that

they will be experiencing today.

Everyone should show them uh that our

support uh and we deal with this

incident uh in the way that Greater

Manchester always does, in the right

way. um and by supporting those who've

been who've been affected. So that will

be my my job uh today have confidence in

in our authorities. You know they they

have dealt with a difficult situation so

far extremely professionally. We all owe

them a huge debt of debt of thanks. Well

done Greater Manchester Police for

getting information out there uh quickly

to prevent the um the rumor mill. Uh and

we'll continue to deal with this

incident throughout today in in this in

this way. That was the mayor of Greater

Manchester. I'm joined in the studio now

by my uh colleague Martin Crohall and

our religion editor Allee Mcbull.

Alem, we heard there from the mayor

talking about the fact that um the

Jewish community will be feeling under

attack today. A hugely significant day

in the Jewish calendar today.

Yeah. Yeah, I mean attack an attack on

Yam Kapor is is clearly designed to be

one that has maximum impact because it

is the holiest day in the Jewish

calendar. You talk about a Jewish

community, British Jews feeling under uh

attack. Well, they felt like that over

the last couple of years since uh the uh

October 7th attacks and and the war in

Gaza since a a sign that they already

felt like they needed security for years

is that they have something called the

community security trust that provides

security at Jewish community centers,

Jewish schools, synagogues as well. And

that group has been recording

anti-semitic attacks over the last 40

years. It reached its highest levels two

years ago in 2023 and last year they saw

a sustained level of anti-semitism.

Some of those a small number uh strayed

into uh physical abuse. Uh the vast

majority of these anti-semitic incidents

were abusive. Uh and certainly what's

going on in the Middle East formed a

part of that abuse. But we've also seen

desecration, vandalism at synagogues, at

Jewish schools. But it was always the

fear that it could go further than than

verbal abuse and into something like

this.

As you say, we've reported, haven't we,

here on the BBC that this this fear, as

you say, that that this could escalate

that something like this. And we don't

know the full details, we have to say,

but the parallels are being drawn by the

location um outside a synagogue in an

area with a strong Jewish community in

Manchester. Yes. And and this appears to

be an Orthodox synagogue and actually

hered Jews, Orthodox Jews, those who are

visibly Jewish have faced a lot of the

the brunt of the abuse, the anti-semitic

incidents that there have been, but not

exclusively. There are others who faced

it as well, but they certainly uh

because of their uh visible Jewishness,

I suppose, have have faced uh abuse,

have faced some of these vandalism

incidents as well. There is no telling.

There's such a broad spectrum of uh

belief and and view across the Jewish

community that those who are who are

carrying out these abusive attacks,

these anti-semitic incidents wouldn't

know whether the particular Jew they are

attacking is supportive of Israel's

policies or not. And many heredi are not

necessarily supportive of uh the the

policies of the Israeli military, for

example. But that doesn't seem to matter

to a lot of those carrying out

committing these kind of abusive

attacks.

Yeah. Allel um for the moment. Thank you

Martin. I know you've been keeping

across all the lines. Obviously we we're

getting information what the attack

happened what just over two hours ago.

Um and lots of reaction coming in.

Yeah, a lot of reaction. And just to add

to what Alen was saying about the fears

that this will stoke in the Jewish

community and we're hearing quite a few

politicians understandably trying to

offer words of support and comfort to

that community. We heard that Sakir

Stalmer said he's appalled by the attack

that's happened at the synagogue in

Crumpsell. The fact this has taken place

on Yam Kapour, the holiest day in the

Jewish calendar makes it all the more

horrific. He says, "My thoughts are with

the loved ones of all those affected and

my thanks go to the emergency services

and all of the first responders."

For her part, Kev Benok, the

Conservative lead, has also been talking

about this. She's described this attack

as vile and disgusting. She's been

speaking to colleagues of ours in BBC

radio, and she said this has happened

while I've been on air with our

colleagues at Radio Bristol, so I

haven't seen the full details, but she

said it looks like an outrageous attack

on the Jewish community on their holiest

day on Kapor. I think it's a vile and

disgusting attack. I know that many

Jewish people in our country feel they

are no longer safe. My heart goes out to

the people who have been hurt by this

and everyone who's been affected. And

she goes on to say, and this will uh

probably be echoed by quite a number of

of people in public life, number of

politicians, I want to say to Jewish

people around our country, you belong

here. Britain is a country which will

look after you. We need to make sure

that the rising anti-semitism we're

seeing in our country is quelled

completely and we need to stop some of

the dangerous and nasty rhetoric which

is harming a lot of people and bring

more light and less heat into the debate

about what's happening in the Middle

East. So they're the words of comfort

and reassurance. But of course many

people who are going to synagogues today

and many will be because of because it

being yon yonapour until nightfall

tonight will want more than that. I mean

there has been a greater security

presence in a number of synagogues over

the years particularly in the last

couple of years and that's why we're

also hearing from the mayor of London

Sadi Khn that there will be more efforts

made to make a security presence felt

and visible around um synagogues in in

London and I'm sure there are there are

other communities uh where there are

there are synagogues will be doing the

same but worth repeating that there are

about 30,000 Jewish people in Manchester

making it the second largest Jewish

community outside of London. This

synagogue, the Heaton Park Synagogue, in

a residential area about four miles

north of the city center. So, a place

where people would expect to be able to

come and go very quietly, very

peacefully without any fear,

particularly today of of all of all

days. Um, we know, don't we, that the uh

prime minister is flying back from uh

Copenhagen. He's going to chair a Cobra

meeting later today. Uh, he has been

talking. Let's take a listen to what

he's got to say.

The attack in Manchester this morning is

absolutely shocking and all of our

thoughts are with those affected. I'm on

my way back to London. When I arrive, I

will chair an emergency Cobra meeting.

I'm already able to say that additional

police assets are being deployed to

synagogues across the country and we

will do everything to keep our Jewish

community safe. I've spoken to Mark

Gardner of the uh CST and Andy Bham,

mayor of Manchester. And um I want to

thank the emergency services for the

speed of their response.

Well, let's go straight back to the

scene in Manchester and our reporter

Anna Jameson who is there. Uh Anna, very

fastm moving um incident this morning.

just take us through what we know and um

how the investigation is continuing

behind you.

Yes. So, I'm at the scene of the

incident in the heart of Crumpsaw here

and it happened behind me at the Heaton

Park Hebrew Synagogue at 9:31 a.m.

Bridge Manchester Police said it

received a call from a witness to say

that it saw a vehicle drive into the

synagogue. It's an Orthodox synagogue

here on the Day of Atonement, the

holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Now,

7 minutes later, Greater Manchester

Police says the offender was shot, but

four people are believed to have been

injured by both a vehicle and stab

wounds. Now, as precautionary measure,

Fairfield Hospital in Berry um around 10

15 minutes away um and the Royal Alden

as well have both been put on lockdown

as a precautionary measure. So, two

hospital trusts there as we know of so

far taking action. Um, but shots were

fired by Greater Manchester Police and

it's understood that the incident is now

contained. But as you can see behind me,

there is a huge emergency services

presence. We've got helicopters flying

overhead. We have the fire and rescue

service on hand, paramedics, and a

number of police um vehicles here as

well, all in dealing with this incident.

Now, um the Greater Manchester Police

have declared a major incident known as

Plato. Uh Plato is the code name for UK

and police and an emergency services

response. It's a protocol to marauding

terrorist attacks, like knife attacks,

like vehicle attacks as to what has

happened this morning. But Trump is a

multicultural area, but there is a large

Jewish presence. Forgive me, you'll be

able to hear the helicopter flying

overhead now. But it is a multicultural

area and apparently there's around 35

synagogues each with their own

congregations here in North Manchester

and there's lots of other communities

that live side by side. Huge Muslim

population, huge Ukrainian population.

It's this part of Greater Manchester

which is celebrated for its background.

Um, so people of all faiths here have

come to this police cordon and another

one that I was at earlier uh to express

concern and disdain as to what's

happened. But the message from Greater

Manchester Police and all local

authorities is please do stay away. This

is a live incident. It's a major

incident. The emergency services need to

be able to give them the space and the

room to do their thing and make sure

that everybody is safe here on the

scene.

Yeah, Anna, stay with us. Um, and I

should say to people watching that there

is a BBC live page running on the BBC

news website which is bringing all of

the latest uh news uh on this incident

in Manchester. Um the prime minister

Sakir Dharma um he is saying that

additional police assets will be

deployed at synagogues across the

country after this attack. He was

speaking as he flew back to the UK. Um,

as we've been saying, he's going to be

chairing an emergency meeting on the

incident later this afternoon. And Saki

Star saying, "We will do everything to

keep our Jewish community safe." Let's

go back to Anna who's at the scene in

Manchester. And Anna, worth reiterating,

isn't it? This is a this is a large

Jewish population there in the area, a

very residential area. People trying to

come to terms with what's happened this

morning.

Yes. And some people actually came to

the police cordon about 20 minutes ago

because they have relatives who were

inside the synagogue at the time of the

incident and they haven't yet heard from

them and they don't know if their

relatives are safe or not. So, lots of

family members clearly visibly upset,

desperately trying to seek answers from

the authorities and still without those

answers and we're hoping to hear from

them um and get more answers throughout

the day. But clearly, as you say, this

is a residential area. Lots of people

here usually just live a very quiet

life. There's lots of schools, um shops,

independent cafes and restaurants. It's

quite um a quiet suburban part of

Greater Manchester if you don't know it

very well compared with other parts. So,

um just the right hand side of Peton

Park as well where a lot of gigs takes

place. That's really the only time it's

usually very busy. So, this incident

clearly will cause a huge shock and and

we can't stress it enough, can we? This

day is significant. It is the day of

atonement. Young Kapoor um and lots of

people um from the Jewish community were

out as I was driving towards the scene

in the white attire which they wear on

this day cuddled in different groups and

clearly looking visibly upset and

concerned as to what's happened just

moments away from where they live.

Yeah, absolutely, Anna. Well, I know

you're going to keep us updated from the

scene there uh in North Manchester.

Um CST, the Community Security Trust,

which is the Jewish security

organization that provides security to

the Jewish community, have issued the

following statement on X. CST is working

with police and the local Jewish

community following the serious incident

at a synagogue in North Manchester. This

appears to be an appalling attack on the

holiest day of the Jewish year. We thank

the Greater Manchester Police officers

and synagogue security who responded

immediately to deal with the incident.

Well, with me here in the studio is our

news correspondent, uh, Martin Crohall.

Um, Martin, perhaps on mornings like

this when there's so much coming in all

the time, just remind us of the details

of of what we know.

Let's start with the timeline, shall we,

Sarah? that the police received a call

from a man, a member of the public at

9:31 this morning. This would be Greater

Manchester Police. They were on the

scene within 3 minutes, we're told. And

by 9:37, just 6 minutes after they'd

received that call, they had declared it

a major incident, uh, along with the

ambulance service, which of course would

respond in the first instance when

they're given the the clear to do that

by the police. And then at 9:38

in police speak, shots were fired. A

firearm was discharged. And we know that

um the person thought to be the offender

was shot. Now Andy Burnham, who is the

mayor of Greater Manchester Police, has

said that he has uh received reports

that the um offender had died as a

result of of this uh firearm being shot,

but that has not been confirmed. So

we're in that territory now where we're

waiting for clarity. So, we have to

tread very carefully with some of the

details. But, um, the paramedics were on

the scene by 9:41. So, that's just 10

minutes later, thankfully. The roads

were closed around the area. As you can

see from these pictures, there's a big

police and, uh, emergency service uh,

presence there. And people being asked

to keep away from the area even though

we were told quite some time ago that

the the police have got the situation

under control very quickly to calm

people, to reassure them that there was

no um, continuing uh, danger. But

nonetheless, it's much better for people

to to keep away if they really don't

need to to be there. We understand that

in this incident um the reason that the

the eyewitness uh called the police was

that uh he saw a car being driven into

people on the street and we understand

that four of them were injured and

additionally a man was stabbed. It could

be that we we'll get absolute clarity on

this that the person who was stabbed was

also uh amongst that four. Um we

understand that a security guard was

injured as well. Um eyewitnesses have

been talking to our colleagues at BBC

Radio Manchester and some of the details

are distressing. So do be a aware of

that. They've been speaking to an

eyewitness who said he was driving his

delivery van at the time of the

incident. Um and that he was held back

in traffic. Just assumed that it was a

traffic jam some kind or a collision of

some sort. And then he got closer and he

saw somebody injured on the floor. And

uh he described seeing another person

who had a a knife and appeared to be

sort of stabbing at a a building to try

to to get in. And then uh within seconds

police arrived, gave him a couple of of

warning shots. The person didn't appear

to listen to that gunfire and um then

the the man started sort of backing up

to get away from the police and then he

he was shot. Of course, eyewitnesses

think they've seen a great deal of of of

things that later turn out not to be

quite the case because in the moment

you're not really sure of what you're

seeing, what you're hearing. So,

and clearly happened very quickly,

very quickly. And it was thankfully

closed down very quickly as well. But

nonetheless, we are waiting to find out

what has happened to the offender. We're

waiting to find out the condition of the

people who were injured, where they have

been taken as well. Okay, Martin Cox for

the moment. Thank you. Well, as we

mentioned, the mayor of Greater

Manchester, Andy Burnham, has been

talking to our colleagues at Radio

Manchester. Let's take a listen.

Well, I I've just checked in uh with

Greater Manchester Police, and at this

stage, there's nothing further uh that

they think uh needs to be said, Mike,

but they do um confirm the things I have

said so far are are accurate. Um so it's

not a sort of an incident that has kind

of uh been completed if you like. It's

still um an ongoing incident. That's why

people should avoid uh the area. But I

think we can give some reassurance that

uh it is as under much control as

possible and that the um you know the

risks of uh further uh further harm to

the public are reduced although not

completely removed. And I think

sometimes we do forget about this aspect

of your job for you for the rest of

today. What do you do now? What's what's

your what is your job today? What do you

have to do?

Well, it's it's obviously got my full

focus. Um, and I'm not the police, of

course. You know, the police have to do

uh to do their job. It's my my

responsibility to support them in any in

any way through the rest of of today and

the other emergency services. Uh but

obviously I've got a very significant

role in relation to reassuring all of

our communities but particularly in this

instance the Jewish community who have

seen rising incidents of anti-semitism

uh over over recent times uh and uh have

been living with a higher uh state of of

anxiet anxiety because of the times that

we're that we're living in. So I um

imagine that uh my diary will sadly have

to change with the other commitments I

had. Uh and I will want to obviously uh

go to the community and meet members of

the Jewish community uh and you know

hear from them but also as much as I can

in this situation uh reassure them. what

I can say to to people, you know, GMP

have the closest of relationships um

with um with the Community Security

Trust who are there to protect the

Jewish community. And it would seem and

I don't want to speculate too much, but

it would seem that some of the security

used by our uh colleagues in the Jewish

community has really uh played a role

here in the in in preventing this being

a worse uh situation. So before you know

I know all of the facts here, I would

want to say as well um how much we um

applaud um those um who members of the

public who alerted us to the incident,

but also those who were on the site and

dealt with it before the police arrived.

You know, we we all owe them uh a huge

debt of thanks and we think about them

and their families right now as we as we

recover from this incident.

[Music]

This is BBC News. I'm Gita Guramuthi

bringing you breaking news today from

Manchester. Greater Manchester police

say four people have been injured in an

incident outside a synagogue in the

north of the city. These are the latest

live pictures from the scene. Sorry, the

latest pictures that we've got uh from

Manchester. And this is what we know so

far. We told that the police responded

to reports earlier today that a car had

been driven towards members of the

public and that one person had been

stabbed. A suspect was shot. Well,

police have told the BBC that one of

those injured is a security guard and

the suspect was shot. The Manchester

Mayor Andy Burnham has said that the

offender is believed to be dead, but the

condition has not yet been confirmed.

Well, the incident comes on Yam Kapor,

which is the holiest day in the Jewish

religious calendar. Lots of members of

the Jewish faith have been attending

synagogues and they will be fasting

today, a very holy day. And uh the prime

minister Sakir Starama has said that the

fact that the attack happened on

Yamapour has made it all the more

horrific. He is now flying back from a

European political community gathering

in Copenhagen in order to chair a

meeting of the government's emergency

Cobra meeting in London this afternoon.

As you can see, the emergency services

have been gathered on the scene and uh

the police declared uh an operation

Plato set of responses by the emergency

services to a largecale incident today.

You can see this is a residential area

and Manchester has got one of the

biggest Jewish communities in the UK.

Well, we have been also hearing from

political leaders, a huge wide response,

obviously people horrified at what's

happened today, but a lot of questions

and we don't know exactly the details

yet. The CST, the Community Security

Trust, is the Jewish security

organization that provides security to

the Jewish community. They've issued a

statement today on X. They say CST is

working with the police and the local

Jewish community following a serious

incident at a synagogue in North

Manchester. This appears to be an

appalling attack on the holiest day of

the Jewish year. We thank the Greater

Manchester Police officers and synagogue

security who responded immediately to

deal with the incident.

Let us listen now to the Prime Minister

Sakir Stalmer.

The attack in Masha this morning is

absolutely shocking and all of our

thoughts are with those affected. I'm on

my way back to London. When I arrive, I

will chair an emergency Cobra meeting.

I'm already able to say that additional

police assets are being deployed to

synagogues across the country and we

will do everything to keep our Jewish

community safe. I've spoken to Mark

Gardner of the uh CST and Andy Bham,

mayor of Manchester and um I want to

thank the emergency services for the

speed of their response.

the prime minister there who is flying

back today from that European summit to

host a Cobra meeting that gathers all

the key emergency services and they are

held when there is a big uh crisis and

uh let's get the latest now with my

colleagues Martin Croxell and Daniel

Sanford our home affairs correspondent.

Daniel, what more can you tell us about

this incident? Well, clearly the most

distressing and disturbing part of it is

the fact that it's an attack on a

synagogue on Yam Kapour. And uh to a

degree u many in the Jewish community uh

will be saying and I've seen them saying

well this is the day that we've always

feared. This is the thing that we felt

has been coming uh that you know if you

go to mosques now they're surrounded by

barbed wire and uh high to sorry to

synagogues now they're surrounded by

barbed wire. they're surrounded by uh

high levels of security. The same with

Jewish schools and this is something

that they have been worried about. We in

the UK have done reasonably well on

tackling terrorism over the last few

years. We've it's not been a place where

there's been uh really significant

terrorist attacks in uh the last uh few

years. But clearly uh this looks like

it's something that uh is going to be a

very serious incident and quite

obviously an attack on a on a Jewish

institution. So I think that's why

you're seeing it being taken quite so

seriously with the prime minister

immediately returning for an important

uh summit uh to chair the COBRA meeting

for those who unfamiliar with that.

That's the emergency uh government

meeting that takes place in the cabinet

one of the cabinet office briefing

rooms. uh he clearly feels this is

something that needs to be treated with

the utmost seriousness and is prepared

to abandon other government businesses

in order to to deal with that. And

you've seen that the the police uh very

very quickly declared this operation

Plato uh which is the sort of emergency

plan which is triggered for all of the

emergency services um which is designed

uh among other things for dealing what

what are known as marauding terrorist

attacks. In other words, somebody who is

uh setting around trying to uh cause the

maximum number of casualties in a short

period of time. And uh as we've seen

reported from the scene in this case uh

the suspect appears to have been trying

to get into the synagogue um to have not

responded to police and that's why the

armed officers have opened fire. And

Daniel, I was just looking at the

parliamentary website for example and

looking at some some evidence from the

CST which showed that even they gave

evidence last year about the number of

attacks on the Jewish community in 2023

for example which had gone up to I think

you know over 4,000 attacks across the

UK. We have seen right across the world

the events of the Middle East causing

divisions, tensions and and real

security concerns, haven't we? And some

of what we're seeing right around the

world is is coming from those Middle

East tensions. Now, we do not know any

details about the attacker here or any

motive. But it's it's clear as you said

that many communities have felt

vulnerable.

Yeah. I mean, the Jewish community has

felt vulnerable uh since before uh the

October the 7th attacks two years ago.

They uh did feel that there was a rising

tension and it was coming from two

directions. is it was coming from uh

people who had a political mindset

linked to what was going on in the

Middle East, but also from the far

right, which hasn't uh completely gone

away uh in terms of the Jewish

community. Some of the neo-Nazi groups

that we've investigated over the years

have clearly still had a deeply

anti-semitic mindset and a violently

anti-semitic mindset as well. But

clearly uh Israel's response to what

happened on October the 7th and what's

happened in Gaza has hugely raised the

temperature uh on on issues around the

Jewish community everywhere in the world

but including in in the UK. And that's

why uh people like the Community

Security Trust have been raising

concerns even more in the last couple of

years about what they see as the rising

tensions, the rising potential of

violence, the actual attacks, verbal and

and physical attacks uh on synagogues.

But none of them has been as bad as this

apparently is. And this does feel like

uh this is, as I said, the moment which

uh the Jewish community and people

who've been concerned about the Jewish

community have been dreading. Can you

just tell us as well what we know about

how much police protection you know

synagogues are able to get? How how is

that decided?

Well, they can get some and and at times

of tension and obviously today is an

obvious example. The prime minister's

immediately said that there will be

extra police resources dedicated uh to

synagogues and other Jewish community

buildings around the country and they

are able to draw on uh police resources

at times of of tension and there is good

relationship sometimes between Jewish

organizations and the police but it's

almost impossible for there to be police

officers standing outside every

synagogue in the in the country at all

times. So that's not something that uh

does happen. You you'll see it

occasionally at times of tension, but

you you won't see it as a but not like

standing outside embassies for example

in London or standing outside government

buildings in London where you see police

officers all the time. You just won't

won't see that outside synagogues at all

times.

Just briefly, you you mentioned the far

right. Obviously there's there's just

been an increased um temperature in

political language, hasn't there? in

recent days and weeks and everyone will

be very mindful of the backdrop to what

we're seeing today at the moment.

Yes. I mean, I have to say that the the

increase in language that we've seen

recently linked to the far right hasn't

been particularly uh Jewish focused and

in fact some people on the hard right in

the UK are quite closely aligned with

some Jewish groups, but there are still

neo-Nazi uh groups operating in the UK

who definitely definitely have an anti-

uh smitic mindset. So to a degree uh

people on the hard right, the far right

are a bit divided on their attitude to

the Jewish community uh these days in

the UK. Um but certainly the Jewish

community has felt that they were at

risk from multiple directions. Some from

the sort of extremist Islamist direction

uh but also some from the kind of the

kind of neo-Nazi elements on the far

right. So it it is both that are uh of

concern and as you say at this stage we

don't really know much about the man

who's been shot in Manchester. Um and uh

presumably it'll take a a while before

it becomes clear whether there was a a

mindset associated with this and and if

so what that mindset was.

Daniel for now and Martin we'll come

back to you in a moment. We just want to

give people an update on what we know

because at 9:30 a.m. local time this

morning, police were called to the

Heaton Park Synagogue by a witness who

saw a car driving towards members of the

public and a man was stabbed. A major

incident was declared by Greater

Manchester police and firearms officers

were deployed. Paramedics arrived at the

scene to find four people injured as a

result of both vehicle and stab wounds.

Well, police say the man who was shot is

believed to be the offender. There are

unconfirmed reports that he was killed,

that he is dead. Let's go to the scene

though now live and speak to our

reporter there, Anna Jameson. Anna, just

tell us what you know and what you're

seeing there.

Well, you may be able to see the large

emergency service presence behind me.

Now, this is one of the many police

cordons because Middleton Road, where

the synagogue is, is a huge road and

it's been cordoned off in all

directions. Um, and as you say, we know

that the incident happened just after

9:30 a.m. and it was 7 minutes later um

when he was the offender, we believe the

offender to be um shot and the incident

has been contained. This is an Orthodox

synagogue at the Heaton Park Hebrew

Synagogue and it is on the day of

atonement yung. Many people here in the

community were gathering in uh their

wear that they would wear each day this

year in the holiest day of the year and

said they were unable to speak on

calendar because of this. But clearly

they were very frightened. Uh they were

very shocked. Um but this is an area

which celebrates its multiculturalism on

this road. A neighbor told me that she

lives next door to a Muslim family. On

the other side is a seek family and

across the road is a Jewish family and

they live side by side. She visits the

Jewish bakery um and she receives

nothing but warmth and welcome um and

there's no hatred on this street. So for

this incident to have happened here is a

clearly a great shock. Now a member of

the Jewish community told me that this

synagogue is one of 35 in the North

Manchester area. a large Jewish

population. Um, and what we know um,

since the incident itself is that a

number of people have been coming out to

take photos, videos of what's going on,

the commotion, you'll be able to hear

the helicopters overhead. But the

message from Greater Manchester Police

and all local authorities is to please

stay away from the area. This is a live

investigation. It is a live scene and

they need the space to be able to

undergo their investigation as it

continues. Now, in the last few minutes,

the MP, Labour MP for Blakeley and

Middleton South, Graeme Stringer,

long-erving Labor MP, says we need to

make sure these evil people do not

damage our community, which is

compromised of many different religious

beliefs and ethnic backgrounds. Um, as

we know, the prime minister is making

his way back to the UK um from his

visits to Denmark. And this is not the

first time that Manchester has been on

national news. um for a a large incident

that's terror related and I'm sure like

we have before the community will come

together again.

Anna Jameson, thank you very much indeed

there live for us on the scene of this

attack. Just to update you, four people

have been injured in a car and stabbing

attack at a synagogue in Manchester. We

are keeping you across all the updates

here on BBC News.

Well, just to say that we're now hearing

from Greater Manchester Police that two

people have died. This is according to

the PA News Agency. Two people have died

after a suspected terror attack outside

a synagogue in Crumpsell by a man who

was

uh it says dead presumably shot dead by

police according to the force there. So

the latest update from the PA news

agency

is that police have taken out the

attacker and two people have died. But

it is not clear whether the uh total

number of people therefore dead as a

result of this is two or three. I will

try and get you an update on that just

to get complete clarity for you. But as

you can understand the reports are still

coming in. Martin Crockel my colleague

is here with me in the studio just

keeping across all the details and

Martin this this part of Manchester

residential area. It's known to be a a

big Jewish community center. Um this is

this is going to cause shock waves,

isn't it?

Very much so. I mean that there are

about 30,000 Jewish people in Greater

Manchester. It's the second largest

Jewish community outside London. Heaton

Park is one of about 35 synagogues in

this part of the country which just

shows you just how much of a of a a

community there is there. I mean to be

just looking through some of the

reaction here you can understand this

one one rabbi um Jonathan Romaine who's

an emeritus rabbi from the maidenhead

synagogue which is down um in the south

further south of of England in in

Barkshire. He's described this attack as

every Jewish person's worst nightmare.

He said he was appalled by what had

happened. And this was speaking before

we've just had this latest report that

you've just mentioned from PA News that

two people have died and the the the

offender

and we understood was shot by police.

But Rabbi Remain was saying this is

every rabbi or every Jewish person's

worst nightmare. Not only is this a

sacred day, the most sacred in the

Jewish calendar. It's also a time of

mass gathering, a time when the Jewish

community, however religious or not,

gathers together. It's a day of

atonement. I mean, it's a hugely

important and solemn day when people

will be visiting the synagogue on a day

of the week when maybe or they wouldn't

ordinarily do so. He goes on to say,

"This will obviously heighten the fears

that many Jews have had that political

violence would spill over into religious

hatred." Now, we don't know yet what the

motivation is. One of the many details

that we need to get get the information

on.

Martin, thanks for now. Let me just um

bring everyone an update because we've

we've got um something to bring you from

an eyewitness on the scene.

You've killed him.

[Music]

Everybody else get back. If you're not

involved, move back. Get away. Somebody

stay. Everybody else has a ball. Go

away.

So, as you can hear there, someone

shouting everybody back and that video

shoot footage does appear to show the

moment that police opened fire at the

Manchester synagogue. Um, our colleagues

at BBC Verify have authenticated that

footage that you might have been

circulating on social media and um, the

clip which seems to be taken by an

eyewitness there on the scene uh, shows

two armed officers pointing weapons at a

figure lying on the ground. And um, we

have not shown you the full footage, but

the camera does turn around and you see

somebody else lying on the pavement at

the gate to the synagogue. um clearly

injured

and uh everybody else um is being urged

to back away and uh one of the officers

seems to come towards the fence and

shouts everybody else he has a bomb go

away. Now, we're not clear as yet

whether any device was found um but

clearly that was the fear and um then

one hears a sharp shot being fired and

uh the man then is on the ground. So

that is some of the footage that has

been circulating on social media and the

BBC verified team have now authenticated

it. So that is some of the footage of

the police there clearly arriving on the

scene pretty quickly it seems after that

attack. Well, we're now being told that

the bomb disposal unit is now at the

scene. They've been seen there and we're

being told two people have died. That

number has been confirmed by Greater

Manchester Police. Our colleagues at BBC

Radio Manchester spoke to Gareth who

says he witnessed this attack.

Literally, we was just driving on the

road just doing our normal deliveries.

Next minute, we just we was held back in

a little bit of traffic and we thought

it was we could see like a car had like

crashed. So, we just thought we were a

normal collision. Anyway, as we got a

bit closer, we seen a guy like bleeding

out on the floor. He was just basically

unconscious on the floor, presumed

obviously dead. And then he's literally

there was a guy in front of the car.

He's just lay on the floor. We couldn't

really see him. And then like there was

a few people stood on the road. Somebody

shouted something. He's in the school or

the synagogue or what what it was. And

then as we looked over the guy had a

knife and he was just stabbing the

window trying to get in the school. And

then within seconds the police arrived.

They give him a couple of warnings. He

didn't listen till they opened fire. He

went down on the floor and then he

started getting back up and then they

shot him again.

One eyewitness there, Gareth, describing

what he says he saw there. Just to let

you know, the police in Manchester also

updating the casualty figures, saying

three other members of the public are in

serious condition after the confirming

that two people have been killed in this

attack. Let's go to our reporter, Anna

Jameson, who's live at the scene. Anna,

just bring us the latest update from

what you're hearing and seeing there.

Yes. Well, as you say in the last few

minutes, Greater Manchester Police have

confirmed that two people have died

after the attack this morning. They say

that people, a large number of people

were worshiping at the synagogue at the

time of the incident and they have been

held inside um to protect their safety

and ensure that they're okay, but they

have since been evacuated. Um, we

understand a third person has been shot

who police believe is the offender. Um,

clearly this is causing huge concern in

the local community. So, it's only right

that we speak to the local MP, Labour's

Christian Waitford. Christian, firstly,

your thoughts on what's happened this

morning.

I I mean, there aren't really words to

describe. I mean, today is literally, as

you were saying, the holiest day in the

Jewish year. It's a day where uh the

community are fasting. You know, they

are introspecting themselves. It's a day

of atonement. And for something like

this to happen any day, let alone today,

it's shock for everyone in this uh

community, which is uh a diverse area.

But for a community that can't even let

their loved ones know they're safe

because they can't pick up a phone, it's

challenging for everyone. Um so again

nothing but respect for um GMP and the

emergency services but I that got here

straight away but absolutely thoughts

and prayers for all those suffering from

the attack either directly or or

indirectly as they're waiting to hear

from their loved ones.

The constituency of Berry South is

probably one of the most culturally and

religiously diverse communities in

Greater Manchester but people live side

by side. You know there is generally no

hatred here. Oh, as I was just saying to

one of your colle that there are so many

things that you know we are Manchester

we we are you know there are things that

bring us together so much and I hope on

the back of this we we see more of that

u but as you said you know we have a

large Muslim community down the road you

know this is one of the largest Jewish

communities in the country and you know

we do live side by side we are brothers

we are friends uh we are sisters and

relatives and and and colleagues uh

there's so much more that should bring

us together and and hopefully we do see

that afterwards but again at the

moment's

It's it's sports prayers for those as

you said who were slowly evacuated and

and not knowing what's going on and you

know I think we're we're all just

waiting for more news to be coming out.

You speak to your constituents on a

regular basis. How big of a concern has

something like this been for people day

in day out in recent years?

Well, we we saw the uh the planned

terror attack uh from a couple years

ago. U obviously that that's coming up

shortly. Um but on on the back of

Operation Wildflower uh following

October 7th um we have had a heightened

police presence around the Jewish

community for quite substantial time

now. So um there has been a fear of

something that could happen and

unfortunately today we we have seen the

worst of that.

Do we know if the security were at

present this morning?

So CST um who

do a fantastic job day in day out.

CSG uh sorry CST are the community

security trust. So they look after the

Jewish community when they go to school,

uh when they go to synagogue as they

have been doing today. Um so they would

have been outside. Um so obviously

nothing but thanks for everything that

they are doing, but also we need to make

sure that their guards are safe as well.

And a number of neighbors and residents

nearby have been asking me and raising

the question about you know this

happening again. What message would you

say to people? I I think uh the the

government have taken this incredibly

serious. So at the moment the prime

minister is on his way back from

Copenhagen uh to hold Cobra. Um I know

the home secretary and the policing

minister are fully aware of the

situation having having spoken to the

policing minister on my way in today. U

so I think if there's one message from

the community um uh it's you know we are

here you know we we are here to try and

protect you and obviously we will be

doing more in the days to come. Have you

spoken to the home secretary or prime

minister?

Not yet I have spoken to the policing

minister but I'm I'm aware there's some

quite high level meetings going on at

the moment but I I am due to speak to

the home secretary uh today.

And what did the policeing minister say?

Uh unfortunately there's not much more

she could say uh other than what's

already been reported. Uh obviously

there's high high level um issues going

on at the moment. So it's it's one of

those where I think at the moment what's

in the press is as much as being

briefed. Are you confident that all

communities have the security needed in

this day and age in Greater Manchester?

Oh,

and in fact that any community needs

security is an indictment as to where we

are as society at the moment. you know,

following October 7th, I I told my um

Jewish constituents in in numerous

shores across the area that I would

stand with them uh and I I would pray

with them and I would cry with them. And

I at the moment, I think you're going to

have a community that's going to be

crying and feeling Spain and I just

reiterate that message to them.

Christian Waitford, the Labour MP for

Bisell, thank you very much for joining

us today. Well, the casualty bureau was

open by Greater Manchester Police at 12

p.m. and can be contacted by phone on

0800056153.

Members of the public again are advised

to avoid the area while police continue

to deal with the ongoing situation.

Thank you very much, Anna Jameson. We'll

be back to you, of course, as we get

more updates. And uh just to bring you

more reaction now, the king said he and

the queen were deeply shocked and

saddened to learn of the horrific attack

in Manchester, especially on such a

significant day for the Jewish

community. Just to remind you of what

has happened, two people have died after

a car and a stabbing attack at a

synagogue in Manchester. A third person

thought to be the suspect is believed to

be dead after being shot by police.

Police say the suspect's condition can't

be confirmed due to suspicious items on

the person with a bomb disposal unit at

the scene.

We do know also from the police that

three other members of the public are in

a serious condition with police saying a

large number of people were worshiping

at the synagogue. Today is Yam Kapoor,

the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Well, let's get more now from the BBC

verified team and Merlin Thomas. And

Merlin, we showed just a few moments ago

some footage taken. we believe by an

eyewitness at the scene that uh you have

been looking at.

Yeah, we have been looking at that video

and this is obviously a developing story

and we're still piecing together the

details as they're emerging of the

attack at Heaton Park Synagogue. Now,

we've been investigating a video

circulating on social media from the

scene of the attack, which appears to be

the moment that police appear to open

fire on a suspect at the synagogue. Now,

in the video we verified, we can see two

armed police officers, both with their

weapons raised and pointing at someone

lying on the ground. Now, as the camera

pans, we can see a man lying on the

ground just outside the grounds of the

synagogue, wearing a kipper, a Jewish

cap, and we can see him lying in a pool

of blood. Now, we have blurred that out

because it is very graphic. Um, and then

we then see one of the officers and

approaching this fence where a small

group of people had gathered. And the

officer then shouts loudly, "Everybody

else, he has a bomb. Go away." Now,

seconds later, the figure that was being

watched by police attempts to stand up

and then we hear sharp cracks ring out

and the man falls to the ground. There

are a few people standing by watching in

a panic as the people as the police are

attending to the scene and others are

hurrying away. We can't confirm the

identities of any of the people in the

video and this is still a developing

story and at BBC Verify will continue

piecing together what happened.

Thanks very much indeed there for that

update Merlin Thomas there from the BBC

Verify team. Well, there's a lot of

reaction as you would imagine, including

from the Israeli embassy and from

political leaders here across the UK.

Let's get more now with Martin Croxel

who's with me. Martin, just give us a

sense of what the reaction is. Yes, as

you as you've just mentioned, the king

and queen have expressed their their

shock and sadness. And we're also

hearing from the Israeli embassy who've

condemned this attack in Greater

Manchester as abhorrent and deeply

distressing. This is a statement that

was released uh by the embassy here uh

saying that such an act of violence

should be perpetrated on the holiest day

of the Jewish calendar in a place of

prayer and community is abhorrent and

deeply distressing. As you would expect,

the embassy is in close contact with the

community, the Jewish community in uh

Manchester along with the uh the

authorities that are present and looking

into this incident and the community

security trust as well of course which

monitors development helps to try and

provide security to synagogues. Um the

embassy goes on to thank uh Greater

Manchester Police for their swift

response uh saying that the safety and

security of Jewish communities in the UK

must be guaranteed and lots of of um

political reaction as uh you've said Ga

and the reform UK leader Nigel Farage

saying I'm horrified by the attack at a

synagogue in Manchester today

particularly on Yam Kapoor. thoughts and

prayers with the families of those

affected and of course it comes it turns

people turn to local politicians who

know the area well often for for

reassurance and um Graham Stringer who

is a a long-standing local Labour MP

says that he knows Manunians will come

together despite it being a dreadful

attack he says designed to damage the

Jewish community and interfaith and inu

intercom community relationships

but he says he knows that that Manunians

will come together to make sure that

villains, as he puts it, don't damage

what is a very tolerant uh city. And he

refers to what happened in Manchester

after the attack at the arena when

people came together to support each

other. Uh we also have been reporting

that Sakir Stalmer who's been in uh

Poland sorry been in Denmark at the

European uh political community meeting

there designed to address security

matters across uh Europe he's coming

home coming back early uh to London

where he's going to chair an emergency

meeting of Cobra which uh convenes on

occasions like this

and you mentioned the Labour reaction K

Starmer of course we've also been

hearing from Kimmy Bened the

Conservative leader from Ed Davyy the

Liberal Democrat leader um because

everyone will be very very concerned

about any such attack.

Yes, indeed. And Chem Beden um heard

about this uh the attack some time ago

when she was uh speaking to our

colleagues at BBC Radio Bristol and she

said it was it's a violent, disgusting

attack. This is before we knew that

there were fatalities. And she said, "I

know many Jewish people in our country

feel they're no longer safe." And she

goes on to say that you do belong here.

Britain is a country that will look

after some of look after you and um we

need to make sure that uh we stop some

of the dangerous and nasty rhetoric

which is harming a lot of people

bringing more light less heat to the

debate she says about what's happening

in the Middle East. We don't know the

motive of course at the moment there's a

great deal that we don't know u why this

uh man who we understand from reports

was shot by police when he failed to

stop when he was called upon to do so.

We don't know the motive. We don't know

anything about him yet.

No, absolutely. Very important to say

that. Thanks, Martin. For now, let me

bring in now Graeme Stringer, MP, who is

the local Labor MP for Blackley and

Middleton South. Thanks very much for

being with us. Uh, Mrs. Stringer. What

can you tell us about what's happened

here today?

Well, I I've just been listening uh to

your output.

I'm at the same level of information as

I think the BBC on that a car drove into

uh the man on security at the front of

the synagogue.

Uh he ran into other people and then

attempted to stab people. He was shot

dead and a number of people have been

stabbed and I believe two of those

people uh have have died as well as the

uh person who drove the car into them.

Uh the police have told me directly that

uh they were there within seven months

uh seven months seven minutes which is

an impressive uh performance and they're

securing the area uh now

and and obviously everyone's thoughts

with those who have been injured. We're

told three people are in a serious

condition and of course the families of

those who've been killed.

Yes. I mean I I have been the local MP

uh for that synagogue for a long time. I

have lived within a stones throw of it

much of my adult life. I been into the

synagogue for hostings during general

elections for services to talk to people

about contemporary situations. So I I

know many of the people who attend that

uh synagogue by first name. So I I mean

I would be upset uh it's an attack like

that anywhere in Manchester or anywhere

in the country indeed. But I'm I'm

particularly

uh upset because I I I know it so well.

Do you know any of the victims yet? I

don't know if you're in a position to to

I I I've got no information uh on the

the names of uh of the victims, but over

the next uh day or two, I will go and

visit uh the rabbi and and talk to

people. As I say, I've lived within I'm

not Jewish myself, but I've lived within

the Jewish community

uh for many many uh years. I know I will

know many of the people who were at the

service in the synagogue for what is the

holiest day of the year uh for Jewish

people

and I don't know whether you've spoken

to any other members of that community

as yet. Obviously this has only just

happened in the last few years.

I don't think I suspect that many of the

members of the Jewish community don't

know what's happened because it's Jean

Kapor and they won't be using mobile

phones or listening to the radio or

watching television. is part of their

religious observance.

Graeme, would you mind just staying with

us for a few moments? I just want to

bring in very briefly our political

correspondent Helen Kat um who's in

Westminster. Helen, we are seeing a

Cobra meeting, a security meeting being

convened by the prime minister who's

flying back from a Copenhagen uh EU

leaders meeting for this. What can you

tell us?

Yeah. So, we know that uh Kisama was in

Copenhagen, as you say, for a meeting of

the European political community this

morning. He was briefed while he was

still in the Danish capital. He's uh

gotten a plane since given a statement

to the press. He is coming back this

afternoon to host a COBRA meeting, which

is the government's emergency committee.

The membership of that changes each time

depending on what sort of incident they

are dealing with, but the prime minister

will be chairing it. Uh and he's also

said that there are going to be

additional police assets um sent to

synagogues across the country to to an

attempt to sort of try and reassure the

Jewish community. And we've seen a a

very widespread political response

already. And and Helen, this comes

against the backdrop of you rising

tensions really here, but we don't know.

It's very important to say we don't know

who the suspect or the attacker was or

any motive.

We don't know. Those details are still

emerging, but as you say, we've had, as

you would expect, widespread criticism

from across the political spectrum.

Statements from party leaders, from Sir

Ed Davyy, the Liberal Democrat leader,

from Nigel Farage, the reform UK leader,

both of whom use the word horrified to

describe their reaction to the attack.

They both point to the timing of this,

it being on Yam Kapour. Uh, and they

both send thoughts and prayers to the

families, the victims, and thoughts to

the emergency services and the Jewish

community. We've also heard from Kemmy

Benedon, the Conservative leader this

morning. Now, she was actually in the

middle of doing a a round of local radio

interviews on BBC local radio when the

news broke. So, she said she hadn't

heard the full details, but she told BBC

Radio Bristol that it looked like an

outrageous attack on the Jewish

community. She thought it was vile and

disgusting. She also said as well,

saying that her heart goes out to the

people who've been hurt by this. She

said uh she needed the country needed to

make sure that the rising anti-semitism

we're seeing in our country is quelled

completely and of course K star uh has

has put out he was the first to to put

out a reaction to this saying that he

too was was horrified and appalled by

what he later said was a shocking

attack. And how significant is it that

he is flying back to host this meeting

today? What sort of decisions might they

be taking? Presumably, they'll be

looking at any evidence that's coming in

about who was behind this attack and the

prime minister saying extra police

deployed across the country at

synagogues.

In Cobra meetings, the content of that

is always secret as you can you can

understand given the circumstances in

which they are called. Now we already

know that the police have declared uh

what this what's known as operation

plato that this is a major incident that

is a set of responses that the emergency

services have to large-scale incidents

including marauding terrorist attacks.

So we know that that has been declared

uh so we'll expect that that Cobra will

be hearing more detail obviously a lot

more of the detail that that is not

necessarily public at the moment uh

before looking into any any further

measures that might you'd expect they'd

be talking about perhaps further

measures that might need to be taken.

You would expect again the cast list of

this is never the as the Westminster

terminology is the the attendance list

is never published for these meetings

and it changes each time depending on

the emergency but this is the sort of of

one where you would expect for example

the home secretary to be in attendance

and experts in in security and

presumably they'll be wanting to be very

very careful about avoiding any

speculation. Nobody wants to see any

tensions ramped up further in response

to what's happened here today.

This is obviously a situation that is

emerging um that is is ongoing and the

details are emerging bit by bit. So I

think at the moment yeah I think it'll

be very keen not to add to any sort of

speculation.

Helen Cat in Westminster. Thanks very

much indeed. Graeme Stringer I hope is

still with us. MP for Blackley Middleton

South, uh, which is, uh, the

constituency in which the Heaton Park

Synagogue is based. Um, and Graeme

Stringer, you were just telling us that

you know the community here. You've

you've lived in the area for a long

time. Um, obviously this is going to

cause shock waves, but we know that many

members of the Jewish faith have felt

vulnerable now for quite a long time.

But there's there's, you know, calls for

for security often, but there's a limit

as to how much can be done.

The Jewish community do feel less secure

than they did. The Community Security

Trust, which is their own uh security

organization,

believe there's been a 400% increase in

attacks on uh Jewish people since the

start of the uh Gaza war. Um there is

and has been for a long time uh security

on every synagogue. There is security.

There is a large uh Jewish school near

the synagogue called King David's. there

is security on there which I it makes me

well I'm appalled that uh it is ne

necessary to have security uh on a

school and that

that those children feel themselves uh

to be at risk when they do drill

security drills if there is an attack on

on the school there is a good

relationship between the Jewish

community and the Greater Manchester

police but it's obviously a limit to

what can be done um for what the media

and the security services call lone wolf

uh attacks if uh some extremist or evil

person decides they want to kill people

and they put their own life on the line

to do that and they've got a car and a

knife. Uh it's very difficult to know

how you uh protect against that.

security has been increased and no doubt

it will be increased uh further but it

is very difficult

um to know well it's very difficult to

provide 100% uh security what people can

do is dial down the rhetoric on

generally on uh what's going on in in

the Middle East

and Mr. Do you know whether the members

of this particular synagogue had felt

particularly threatened at all? I mean,

what can you tell us about this

community of of people?

Well, I know them and I know I speak to

a lot of Jewish people. I my neighbors

were were Jewish until very recently.

Um, and I have friends who have attended

uh that and other uh synagogues.

the whole Jewish community feels more

threatened uh than they did. So I I

wouldn't be able to say anything

specifically

uh about this synagogue. Uh but it it it

is throughout the Jewish community they

felt less secure over the last two or

three years.

And can you just tell us a bit more

about the wider area as well? It's

clearly very residential area. This is

the second largest Jewish community in

in the country. It spreads from this

part of Manchester in Sulford and Berry

Sounds. It's next to a very large uh

Muslim community just down the road in

in Chetm Hill. Uh there are I suppose

the area is apart from that is uh it's

more diverse than it used to be. There

are people from West Africa, but it's

still predominantly

uh white workingass, I suppose you would

describe it. And it is a very tolerant

uh community. Uh there is a live and let

live attitude

uh there. And you were taking my quotes

earlier on in the program. There has

been a determination from organized

religious groups from different ethnic

communities after the uh devastation of

the Manchester bomb in 2017,

not to let these evil people destroy uh

a tolerant community and to work towards

better understanding and tolerance of

other people's views. I don't know if

you can see it on the camera, but there

are uh photos behind me of from

different uh political campaigns I've

been involved in. But one of them is as

a a Jewish uh Muslim uh group that works

hard together, have regular meetings uh

to improve relationships. So that's

that's the nature of the community and I

absolutely

uh am certain uh that the people who run

these organizations

will try ever harder. It's to to

have uh tolerance. It's not just enough

to say we are tolerant. Most people

would say that I think uh you have to

work at it to make things work and

understand better where different

religious groups and ethnic minority

groups are coming from, what their views

are.

Just finally, briefly, if I may, Mr.

Stringer, just your your feelings today.

Obviously, you you know this community

of people very well. You know this area

very well. How you how you feeling

today?

Well, I would be upset at an attack like

this anywhere in the constituency or any

uh where in the country, but because I

know uh this synagogue, as I say, I know

the area. I've lived there. I I'm

particularly upset and I will visit the

synagogue as soon as it is appropriate

and I'm sure we will all be determined

to both on one side improve security

however it can be improved and to work

for uh real understanding and tolerance

between the different communities.

Graeme Stringer MP local labor MP for

Blackley and Middleton South which

covers this synagogue in Manchester.

Thank you very much indeed.

Well, watching these pictures with me

and uh hearing the reports is Martin

Croxel, my colleague here in the studio.

And Martin, we we've played some of the

video footage showing the police trying

to tell members of the public to go away

from the suspect um with fears as to

what he might have him. A bomb disposal

squad is on the ground at the moment.

There's been a lot of reaction, hasn't

there?

Huge amount of reaction. And as you say,

because this bomb disposal unit is on

the scene, and we've seen some pictures

of the robot that they use to try to

keep personnel out of harm's way, police

are saying that the suspect's condition

cannot be confirmed

due to suspicious items on his person.

Um, the third person that we've been

reporting as having died in this

incident is thought to be the suspect,

uh, having been shot by police. There

were warning shots fired and warn verbal

warnings given by the police and the the

suspect failed to to stop. We also know

now that there are two other people who

died after that car drove into people in

the street and a stabbing incident at

the uh synagogue. We're also being told

that three other members of the public

are in a serious condition because of

this uh incident. There were, as you

would expect on Yong Kapor, the holiest

day in the Jewish calendar, a very

solemn day, the day of atonement. A

large number of people worshiping at the

synagogue. And as we heard there from

the local MP Graeme Stringer, a lot of

people will amongst the Jewish community

across the country won't be aware of

this. Such as the day of Yon Kapor, you

you don't go on your phone, you don't

watch the TV or listen to news reports.

you are very much um thinking about

prayer and and atonement.

People will be in the synagogues praying

as well.

Yeah, very much so. And we grant

Manchester police have have praised uh

the eyewitness who saw this car driving

into people for his uh quick response

and calling them to so that they could

quickly take action and prevent the

offender from entering the synagogue. Um

the Greater Manchester Police

spokesperson says that they they know

that this attack has horrified people

and it will have a very very deep

significant shock uh and put fear

potentially through our our communities.

They there's always a lot of social

media um speculation footage that gets

shared. We have been able to verify some

of it as you say, but um the police are

urging anyone who does have images or

footage that may be related to this

incident for share them with the force

directly. Don't go posting them online

because sometimes they're relevant,

sometimes they're not. And the last

thing we need at the moment is for

people to jump to the wrong conclusions

about what's really been going on here.

and and the the some of it obviously is

distressing as well to watch, including

part of the footage that the BBC has

verified, but we've blurred out the uh

the more difficult parts of that footage

um online. It is on the website at the

moment. Let's just uh bring you up to

date because just to uh let you know the

casualty figures as we have them right

now. Two people have died after a car

and stabbing attack and a third person

believed to be the suspect is believed

to have been shot by police, believed to

have been killed um after being given

warnings by the police that he didn't

listen to. So they opened fire. Police

have also told us that three other

members of the public are in a serious

condition. Police saying a large number

of people were worshiping at the

synagogue. It is Yong Kapoor today. It

is the holiest day in the Jewish

calendar.

Well, we are getting also a lot of

reaction including from the king who has

said that he and the queen have been uh

very saddened to hear what's happened.

[Music]

These are live pictures now that are

just coming into us from above

Manchester and the uh camera from the

helicopter showing the scene above this

part of Manchester. It is the uh

Heaton Park Synagogue that was targeted

here.

And uh these are the images coming into

this. You might be able to just see some

of the emergency vehicles that were on

the scene very very fast. The police

there within minutes we're told and they

were able to uh get to the suspect but

sadly not before two people were killed

and three others in a serious condition.

It's believed that the car a car was

driven and also a knife attack. So, at

least one person stabbed, a member of

the public saw a car being driven at

members of the public and one man being

stabbed

and the police given giving the suspect

a couple of warnings, but because he

didn't listen, he they opened fire and

you can see some of that on the uh

footage that the BBC has verified.

Well, Anna Jameson, our reporter, is at

the scene. She gave us this update.

Well, you may be able to see the large

emergency service presence behind me.

Now, this is one of the many police

cordons because Middleton Road, where

the synagogue is, is a huge road and

it's been cordoned off in all

directions. Um, and as you say, we know

that the incident happened just after

9:30 a.m. and it was 7 minutes later um

when he was the offender, we believe the

offender to be um shot and the incident

has been contained. This is an Orthodox

synagogue at the Heaton Park Hebrew

Synagogue and it is on the day of

atonement yung poor. Many people here in

the community were gathering in uh their

wear that they would wear each day this

year in the holiest day of the year and

said they were unable to speak on

calendar because of this. But clearly

they were very frightened. Uh they were

very shocked. Um but this is an area

which celebrates its multiculturalism on

this road. A neighbor told me that she

lives next door to a Muslim family. On

the other side is a seek family and

across the road is a Jewish family and

they live side by side. She visits the

Jewish bakery um and she receives

nothing but warmth and welcome um and

that there's no hatred on this street.

So for this incident to have happened

here is a clearly a great shock. Now a

member of the Jewish community told me

that this synagogue is one of 35 in the

North Manchester area. a large Jewish

population and what we know um since the

incident itself is that a number of

people have been coming out to take

photos, videos of what's going on. The

commotion, you'll be able to hear the

helicopters overhead. But the message

from Greater Manchester Police and all

local authorities is to please stay away

from the area. This is a live

investigation. It is a live scene and

they need the space to be able to

undergo their investigation as it

continues. Now, in the last few minutes,

the MP, Labour MP for Blakeley and

Middleton South, Graeme Stringer,

long-erving Labor MP, says we need to

make sure these evil people do not

damage our community, which is

compromised of many different religious

beliefs and ethnic backgrounds. Um, as

we know, the prime minister is making

his way back to the UK um from his visit

to Denmark. And this is not the first

time that Manchester has been on

national news. um for a a large incident

that's terror related and I'm sure like

we have before the community will come

together again

there and you can see there the shots

from the helicopter which have just

started coming into us above the scene.

Martin Croxell is watching these images

come in to us. Uh Martin we are getting

more and more um details coming to us

including from some of the eyewitnesses.

Yeah we are. Um there's a lot of people

saying that they weren't you know aware

of what they were really seeing. Um,

people hear shots sometimes and they

don't know what it is. You just never

assume in this country where thankfully

we're not used to huge amounts of of of

gun crime and gun possession that um

when you hear that um there is a a a

disbelief about what you're hearing just

to say that a number of hospitals are

reported to have been put into lockdown

ga in Greater Manchester following this

incident. Um we're not sure of any

specific reason for that other than

obviously the a major incident has been

declared and so um reporters have seen a

note that was shared uh by the Northern

Care Alliance which includes hospitals

um the Royal Sulford, Fairfield General

Rochdale Infirmary and Royal Olden

saying that they've been asked to

immediately lock down. We've been

informed that emergency services are at

the scene of an incident. So that's why

they would have gone into lockdown the

moment that major incident was um

declared because they want to be

cautious about who is at risk.

Okay, Martin, thanks very much indeed.

Well, I'm just going to bring in now

another guest, Asma Yazdani, who owns

you, Me and Tea, which is a cafe on

Crumbs Lane in Manchester. Thanks for uh

speaking to us, Asma. Just tell us what

what you know. Did you see or hear

anything?

Good afternoon. Uh actually uh nothing.

um just coming uh to the cafe in the

morning and I've seen uh too many police

cars, too many undercovers and going

here about and uh I just came into the

uh cafe and I there was my staff member

working and I as I just randomly said it

to him and I've seen so many cars today

what's going on and he said I don't know

really and uh in just a few minutes uh

we receive few um video messages that

are the Tesco's got uh blocked off with

uh too many police and there's this this

and in in really then again in few

seconds we found out somebody's been

stopped and uh that was really really

devastating to hear about it and then we

found out it's just around the corner to

us uh which is I presume uh not even 6

minutes walk from uh us where we are

located and uh we are very devastated to

hear that uh and seen seen few videos uh

on the incident as well. Boy, it was

really really really upsetting uh the

community as well cuz we live in the

same area. We have uh we respect

everyone who's living in the area and uh

across the area is like um it doesn't

matter not being a racist or not

nothing. is it's just a humanity uh

thing that uh we shouldn't be seeing and

hearing all this uh as a human. So

really very frustrating, very

devastating that's uh none of us is very

safe at the moment and um I feel sorry

what whatever happened and uh I I really

um uh pay uh respect to the family who's

lost their family, one of their family

members.

And are you seeing people still come

come into your cafe? I mean people must

be really upset to see this has

happened. Uh yes it was. Um I'm I've

been really very

I've been sorry can you hear me?

Yes we can.

U we we were really really quiet since

morning. There was no one in cuz

obviously um it's it's it is where we

are located is just uh in the heart of

that uh in instant where this incident

happened. So obviously people are not

coming in but I've just uh got a few uh

uh old old age home people uh for their

brunch inside the cafe just before and

um not exactly people are not coming in

they must be really very upset and the

the area has been affected with that I

can see there's no cars moving around or

anything very quiet at the moment

we can understand that and uh we will

leave it there but as Moy as Dani

grateful to you for coming in to uh to

talk to us there. Thanks very much

indeed and um obviously everyone's

thoughts and prayers with all of those

who've been injured and the families of

those who've lost loved ones in this

attack. We don't know the identity of

the attacker or any motive as yet, but

these are the live pictures coming into

us both on the ground and from the uh

news helicopter where you can see a

large number of emergency services have

gathered. The prime minister is calling

a COBRA meeting today. He's flying back

from Copenhagen to chair that himself

and he said that extra police are going

to be deployed across synagogues right

across the UK. And uh just to update you

on what the police have told us, two

people have died after a car and

stabbing attack. A third person thought

to be the suspect is believed to be dead

after being shot by police and three

others, three other members of the

public are in a serious condition.

police has said a large number of people

were worshiping at the synagogue. We

know that today is Yam Kapoor, which is

the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Hospitals in the area have been put on

lockdown and uh we will bring you a full

update in the next few minutes. This is

BBC News. I'm Gita Gurami.

[Music]

This is BBC News to bring you the very

latest on our breaking story today.

Greater Manchester police say two people

have died and three others are in a

serious condition after an attack

outside a synagogue in the north of the

city. These are the pictures from the

helicopter above the scene there in

Manchester where huge numbers of

emergency services are still gathered.

We've been told the bomb disposal squad

is on the ground and we've seen images

of them there too.

We know from the police that they

responded to reports at around 9:30 this

morning local time that a car been

driven towards members of the public and

that one person had been stabbed outside

the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation

Synagogue in Crumpsell. Police have told

the BBC that one of those injured is a

security guard and the suspect was shot.

Police say the offender is believed to

be dead, but their condition hasn't yet

been confirmed for safety reasons

because of what they're calling

suspicious items on his person, and a

bomb disposal unit is at the scene. A

number of hospitals in Manchester are on

lockdown after this attack, which comes

on Yong Kapoor, which is the holiest day

in the Jewish religious calendar. Large

numbers of Jewish people attend

synagogues and fast. Today, the Prime

Minister, Sakir Stalmer, has said the

fact that the attack happened today

makes it all the more horrific. He is

now flying back from a European

political community gathering in

Copenhagen early in order to chair a

meeting of the government's emergency

Cobra Committee in London this

afternoon. Buckingham Palace has issued

a message saying the king and queen were

deeply shocked and saddened to learn of

the horrific attack in Manchester,

especially on such a significant day for

the Jewish community. The Israeli

embassy has also condemned the incident,

describing it as abhorrent and deeply

distressing.

Well, this is an image of the man that

police believe is a suspect or is the

suspect. You can see him pictured

through the fence of the building. He is

now believed to be dead. We also have

images just before the attacker was

shot. Let's just play you this footage.

You've killed him.

[Music]

Everybody else get back. If you're not

involved, move back. Get away. Somebody

else has a ball. Go away.

images that you might have seen on

social media have been identified and

confirmed by our BBC verify teams who

also confirmed the uh the still image

that does show the perpetrator of the

attack. Well, as we mentioned, the prime

minister Zakir Stalmer is flying back

early from a leader summit in Copenhagen

and he's going to chair a meeting of the

government's emergency COBRA meeting

today. Earlier, he spoke to us from the

tarmac before he left Denmark. The

attack in Masha this morning is

absolutely shocking and all of our

thoughts are with those affected. I'm on

my way back to London. When I arrive, I

will chair an emergency COBRA meeting.

I'm already able to say that additional

police assets are being deployed to

synagogues across the country and we

will do everything to keep our Jewish

community safe. I've spoken to Mark

Gardner of the uh CST and Andy Bernham,

mayor of Manchester and um I want to

thank the emergency services for the

speed of their response.

Well, just update you on the timeline of

what happened today. Just before 9:30

local time this morning, police were

called to the Heaton Park Synagogue by a

witness who saw a car driving towards

members of the public and a man stabbed

members of the public. A major incident

was declared by Greater Manchester

Police and firearms officers were

deployed. Paramedics arrived at the

scene to find four people injured as a

result of both vehicle and stab wounds.

Well, police say a man was shot believed

to be the offender and there are

unconfirmed reports that he is now dead.

That's the information that we've got at

present. Well, I'm joined now by Dr.

David Walker, the bishop of Manchester.

Thank you for being with us today. Your

thoughts on this very sad day for the

people in this community.

Well, my prayers go to the Jewish

Commission. I I I know their rabbi well.

I live only about a mile away from from

the synagogue myself, right in the heart

of of of the Jewish community. Uh and

for this to happen on on such a holy day

in in in their faith is is doubly

devastating. Uh and so I'm very much

holding them in my prayers at this at

this time and uh praying that as a

community we respond in the way that we

typically do in Greater Manchester and

respond well and respond by showing our

love and our unity

and and what can you tell us about this

part of Manchester because you know very

very many communities very different

faiths and backgrounds but as we heard

from one local resident you know people

get along don't

They do um remarkably well and in fact

just before the summer break there was a

new uh concordat signed by leaders of

the Jewish and and Muslim communities in

in the Manchester area uh under the

opices of of the University of

Manchester and I and the chief constible

and the deputy mayor and others also

signed that to show our support. There's

been a strong Jewish Muslim forum a

bilateral that's met for it must be

getting on for 20 years now. So relation

relations are are good and the part of

Manchester where this has happened you

do have communities living peacefully

cheek by gel with each other as they

have done for many years. It's an area

where often people who've moved into the

Greater Manchester area uh settle first

and then many of them stick there.

Are you worried now about what might

happen as a result of this attack?

because we know that people of different

faiths, you know, including the Jewish

community who've seen an increase in the

number of threats and attacks on them.

Are you are you worried that this will

prove divisive?

That that is the danger I think in

Manchester because we have experience of

2017 uh the suicide bomb attack then at

the arena which killed 22 and injured

hundreds of others. because we have the

experience of how we responded then I I

would expect we'll respond just the same

way this time round and and and just

show our our love and our unity for one

another. That's the way to defy the

terrorists. We don't defy them by

embedding their hatred in our own

hearts. We defy terrorism by doing the

exact thing they don't want, which is to

be bound together ever more closely with

one another.

Yeah. And obviously we should say we

don't know the exact identity of the

attacker although we've now got some

still images and uh moving images of the

uh suspect and we don't know any

confirmed motive.

Uh when you say people need to be bound

together and that is a message that that

you know the everyone will want to

happen. How does that happen in

practice?

in practice how it happened when we had

the the previous terrorist attack. It it

just happened it happened partly at

leadership level by people being seen

standing together and speaking together

and and you sharing the that message

with the with the wider world. It also

happened just that we a place was

designated in the city center where

where tributes could be laid and uh just

around that that people came and they

hugged each other and they they gave

each other bottles of drink and and and

you know soft drinks and water and and

just talked to each other and just

showed that kind of human warmth one for

another. And it is often that kind of

just showing that warmth for people who

are from a a different part of the

community than you are yourself that has

the greatest impact. That's what I think

shows that these people who perpetrate

these atrocities, they're not doing so

on behalf of any significant section of

our society. They're they're very much

at the fringes, the the um you know, the

ones who've been radicalized. Uh they're

not the true people of of this city and

its surrounds. And we show that just by

being ourselves, our our loving, caring,

kind selves.

And how much do you think political

leaders have have a responsibility also

to to make sure that the language and

the rhetoric is is consistently

dialed down?

Well, again, that's that's what what

we've done in the past, and I'm I'm

confident we'll do that uh today and in

the future. I know that our mayor, Andy

Burnham, he he's well known to to our

our faith leaders uh and well respected

by us and we we we trust him to uh to to

get the right tone and and our other

civic and and and faith leaders and

community leaders as as well. Uh say

sadly this isn't the first time. Uh and

and you know we can't say it for the

last time but all we can do each time

something like this happens in our midst

is just say this is not who we are. This

is not us. We're something very

different from these acts of horror.

And and you you said at the start of our

conversation that you you know um the

people from this community. Have you

heard from anyone yourself today? I know

this has only just happened and it's a

as you said it is a supposed to be a

holy day. People won't necessarily be be

contactable normally today.

Yeah. I I' I've heard from one leader in

the Jewish community uh today, but yes,

most uh are you know they're not allowed

by the religious tradition on on Yonipur

to use electronic devices of any sort.

So they they they not even answering

phones, but we have managed to get a

message to one. And one of my priests

who who is much loved and respected in

the Jewish community, he immediately

made his way down to the site and he's

been there to talk to people uh you just

outside the police line to to talk to

those who who who anybody who wish to

speak speak with him and to share our

thoughts directly with people who who

won't be picking up the phone today.

Dr. David Walker, Bishop of Manchester,

thank you very much indeed for your time

today.

Let's go live to the scene. Our reporter

Anna Jameson is there. Anna, just tell

us who you've been speaking to. What are

you seeing there? We can see the

emergency services obviously still very

much there.

Yeah, absolutely. Still a large

emergency service presence. You'll be

able to hear the helicopter overhead as

well. Um and lots of people gathering

round as well to work out what on earth

is going on. An absolutely awful

morning. Um, and one that Manchester

will look with shame really because this

isn't what Manchester is about. As the

Bishop of Manchester just said at 9:30

a.m. this morning, Greater Manchester

Police said it received a call to say

that it had seen a vehicle driving to

the Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue. Um,

and we now know that two people have

been killed. A third person was shot um,

who we believe is the offender and the

incident has been contained. Uh, but

this is Crumpsole, an area in North

Manchester which has um many different

diverse communities. I spoke to a

neighbor before who told me that she

lives next door to a seek household.

There's a Jewish family who lives next

door to them and a Muslim family who

lives across the road. And guess what?

They're all friends. And she said that

hatred of any kind is not welcome here.

As we just heard there from the bishop

in Manchester, many people are unable to

speak to us today because it is the day

of atonement. However, um I have just

received a statement from the Muslim

Jewish Foundation, which is an

organization that does a lot in Greater

Manchester to try and integrate

different communities. Um and they say

we're unable to speak today, but it is

hard to comprehend what has happened. I

have in fact visited the Heaton Park

Synagogue on three occasions and I've

known the rabbi for many years. I hold

the victims, their families, and the

synagogue congregation, and indeed the

wide Jewish community in my thoughts

today, sending my deepest condolences

and heartfelt sympathy. That is from the

leader of the Muslim Jewish Foundation

today. And we've also had a statement

from Manchester City Council leader Bev

Craig. Trumpol sits in the Manchester

area who says, "We are all horrified by

this shocking and re reprehensible

attack on members of Manchester's Jewish

community on their holiest day. Our

thoughts are with those who have been

killed. We will be working with Greater

Manchester Police, Greater Manchester

Combined Authority, and our local

communities in the hours ahead to offer

support and reassurance. Manchester

stands with our Jewish community at the

darkest of moments and will come

together as a city and lots of people

here in Manchester today um are just

really frightened about what's happened.

Some people from the Jewish community

said they were fearful that something

like this would happen on their

doorstep, but so close to the October

7th attacks and on um Yin Kapoor, the

holiest day in the Jewish calendar makes

it that much more painful.

Okay, Anna Jameson, thanks very much

indeed for that update.

Well, let's speak to uh Martin Coxwell

who's with me here in the studio

watching all this. Um, Marty and I grew

up in Lancaster and know Manchester. I

don't know this particular area of

Manchester in detail, but I know what

it's like to grow up in the north of

England and you know it it's a very

mixed place. Lots of people born and

brought up here, but from different

backgrounds and people would be really

really upset obviously to see to see

this. Really important to stress that we

do not know the identity confirmed of

the attacker although we do now have a

still image which is on our website.

Yes, we do. And as is the case in

instances like this, our colleagues in

our BBC verify team have been busy

trying to authenticate uh video footage

which was posted uh online which we've

uh they've now managed to do to show

that the location where it was was um

filmed it is around uh Heaton Park but

also we've had this uh still image which

um is said to show the perpetrator of

today's attack. BBC verified have been

able to confirm that it was taken from

just outside the perimeter fence where

this attack happened. And the individual

in question um the appearance of him

matches that of a man apparently being

seen to be warned by police to stop, to

move back, and then being shot by police

in the same location where that verified

video um was taken that I mentioned

before. No copies of an image um like

this have been found to have been

uploaded prior to today's attack. So it

does appear that those two things match

up. Um the the image shows this man who

appears to have some kind of items

around his waist wearing dark clothes

with white objects hanging off his uh

waist. We know that from the police that

they say they can't confirm the

suspect's identity or even the his

condition because they can't get close

enough because so that the suspicions

have been raised by these items around

his waist and we know that the bomb

disposal unit using a robot is on the

scene. I mean you as you said how

destabilizing events like this can be gi

um local communities and that's why

we're absolutely seeing and hearing from

so many different groups. Absolutely.

And and Martin, I just to mention as

well that I'm just being told that there

is police activity right across

Manchester and the police helicop the

helicopter has moved to an area of of

more police activity and we know that

people have been asked also not to go to

the emergency services unless they are

in a critical condition which which uh

one would imagine is the ongoing advice.

in particular. Clearly the authorities

in Manchester are worried about the uh

hospitals not being overressured because

we know that a lot of people were

praying at least three people were

seriously injured and they want to give

maximum support. But we know that there

is still a lot of police activity and

the images that are being published that

the still image and the video image

obviously going to be being followed up

by police to try to determine the source

of the attack and the motive. Right now

I just want to mention also Martin that

the British Muslim Trust um they they've

given us a response haven't they?

Yes they have. Um um they they've

described it as despicable and cowardly

and the British Muslim Trust saying they

stand with the Jewish community.

Yes, this is a trust that's a government

funded organization

um selected this year to monitor

incidents of anti-Muslim hate. Um they

are saying that no one should be allowed

to deepen uh exploit violence and deepen

any divisions. Um it's the the chief

executive of the the Muslim British

Muslim Trust who's quoted here Akquila

Ahmed saying that this this attack was

shocking and abhorrent especially so on

Yam Kapoor making it all the more

sickening. There is never and can never

be says Akquila Khan any place for this

sort of uh violence cowardly violence in

our society and the trust stands with

all victims of hate in particular today

of course the Jewish community and

finally in worrying times like this we

ask Muslims in all communities to look

out for each other and remain vigilant

we know there are some who will seek to

exploit this violence and and deepen

those divisions and that that is very

much the message isn't it that we've

been hearing from uh or politicians of

of all stripes from the from the um the

leader of the opposition Kami Baden and

of course Sakir Star who's coming back

from Denmark from a security meeting to

chair that Cobra meeting this afternoon

and let us just go now to Downing Street

and Helen Kat our political

correspondent is there as we uh wait to

see the prime minister uh chairing that

that meeting. Obviously that is done in

private Helen and it is convened at

moments of crisis.

Yeah. Cobra that is the code name for

the government's emergency committee and

as you said it gets convened in times of

of national well in times of major

incident or when there's uh things that

they need to respond to and the

membership who attends that changes

depending on the type of emergency that

it is responding to. So while we won't

know exactly who is attending this

afternoon's Cobra, you would expect that

it's likely to be figures like perhaps

the home secretary, figures from the

security services perhaps. So those are

the sort of people that Sakir is going

to convene and Cobra is not always

chaired by the prime minister, but Sakir

is chairing this one. That is a sign of

the significance of this and the

significance of this incident. And do we

know what exactly they might be looking

at in this uh case? Because we've heard

from the prime minister that they are

rolling out more police protection to

synagogues across the UK. A lot of

people will have gathered in synagogues

for prayer on this very holy day.

And the significance of the timing Yong

Kapor has been picked up across the

political spectrum actually by uh

people. We've seen a widespread

condemnation of the attack from

political leaders from the Liberal

Democrats to Reform UK. Both leaders Sar

Davyy and Nigel Farage have issued

statements today in which they have both

used the phrase horrified to describe

their response to the attack on the

synagogue. Uh they've sent their

thoughts to the victims, the emergency

services, and the entire Jewish

community. Kami Bade, not the

conservative leader, too. Um, she

actually was on a a round of BBC local

radio interviews when all of this was

emerging. So, she said she hadn't heard

the full detail, but she had described

this as an outrageous attack on the

Jewish community. Uh, she said it was

vile and disgusting. Her heart goes out

to the people who've been hurt by this.

But she also said that we need to make

sure that the rising anti-semitism we're

seeing in our country is quelled

completely. And that was a point that

was echoed by the Green Party leader

Zack Palansky. Now, he is himself

Jewish. He grew up in Manchester, he

says, not far from Crumbsell. So he said

this attack felt deeply personal to him,

but he said it underlined for him the

need to bring together community

cohesion.

Think

and obviously there's been a backdrop of

tensions right around the world, Helen,

we've seen linked to events in the

Middle East, but also just rising

political division that again has has

been a global phenomenon. We've seen it

in Europe. We we've seen it here in the

UK too. And for the government right now

trying to make sure that they get

obviously they have to find out the

motive of this attack anyone else who

might be involved in it that police

activity still ongoing it seems from

what we're seeing on the ground in

Manchester. Um but also trying to make

sure that the response to this um does

not cause any division.

Yeah, I think the government, all

politicians today are choosing their

words carefully. The focus for them all,

I think, is on that ongoing incident as

the details emerge uh over the course of

the afternoon and establishing the facts

around what happens. I think we're not

going to hear very much from any

politicians until a lot of that has been

established.

Okay, Helen Cat in Downey Street, thanks

very much indeed. And you don't have the

timings yet, do you? presumably of when

that Cobra meeting is due to happen.

No. And no, they don't tend to give out

the timings or any details around Cobra.

So, we we might get a sense if we see

figures turning up at the Cabinet Office

later this afternoon, but at this time,

we don't know.

Okay, we'll keep across that with you.

Thanks very much indeed. Well, let's get

a roundup of the events of the last few

hours with Philip Norton.

The scene outside a Manchester synagogue

as a suspected attacker is confronted by

police.

[Music]

[Applause]

It's shortly after a car was driven at

and hit. Members of the public outside

Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation

Synagogue, a man was stabbed, another

believed to be the offender was shot by

police. The suspect is believed to have

died.

Two members of the public caught up in

the attack are now confirmed dead. Three

others have been seriously injured.

Literally, we was just driving on the

road just doing our normal deliveries.

Next minute, we just we was held back in

a little bit of traffic and we thought

it was we could see like a car had like

crashed. So, we just thought a normal

collision. Anyway, as we got a bit

closer, we seen a guy like bleeding out

on the floor. He was just basically

unconscious on the floor, presumed

obviously dead. And then he's literally

there was a guy in front of the car.

He's just lay on the floor. We couldn't

really see him. And then like there was

a few people stood on the road. Somebody

shouted something. He's in the school or

the synagogue or what what it was. And

then as we looked over the guy had a

knife and he was just stabbing the

window trying to get in the school. And

then within seconds the police arrived.

They give him a couple of warnings. He

didn't listen till they opened fire. He

went down on the floor and then he

started getting back up and then they

shot him again.

The attack at the synagogue comes on Yam

Kapour, the holiest day in the Jewish

calendar when many Jewish families will

be attending a synagogue.

Police say a large number of worshippers

were inside the building at the time.

The prime minister has cut short a trip

to Denmark, flying back to chair an

emergency government Cobra meeting. The

attack in Masha this morning is

absolutely shocking and all of our

thoughts are with those affected. I'm on

my way back to London. When I arrive, I

will chair an emergency COBRA meeting.

I'm already able to say that additional

police assets are being deployed to

synagogues across the country and we

will do everything to keep our Jewish

community safe. I too

Philip Norton there and uh just to let

you know that that uh police activity is

continuing in Manchester not far from

the synagogue and we've heard that a

loud explosion a controlled explosion

has now been heard at the police cordon

in Crumpsol the bomb disposal unit at

the scene it is believed so uh whether

they have carried out that controlled

explosion because it was believed that

possibly a device um was uh involved

there. So a loud controlled explosion

just been heard at the police corner in

Crumpsel but obviously uh we are waiting

to find out details from the authorities

is exactly what's happened but we do

know that police activity is also

continuing not far from the uh synagogue

there. Well, the CST, which is the

Community Security Trust, which is the

Jewish security organization that

provides security, uh, has issued the

following statement on X today. CST is

working with police and the local Jewish

community following a serious incident

at a synagogue in North Manchester. This

appears to be an appalling attack on the

holiest day of the Jewish year. We thank

the Greater Manchester police officers

and synagogue security who responded

immediately to deal with the incident.

Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater

Manchester, was on air with BBC Radio in

Manchester when news of this attack

first came in. Here's some of what he

had to say. I'm not the police, of

course. You know, the police have to do

uh to do their job. It's my my

responsibility to support them in any in

any way through the rest of of today and

the other emergency services. Uh but

obviously I've got a very significant

role in relation to reassuring all of

our communities but particularly in this

instance the Jewish community who have

seen rising incidents of anti-semitism

uh over over recent times uh and uh have

been living with a higher uh state of of

anxiet anxiety because of the times that

we're that we're living in. So I um

imagine that uh my dar will sadly have

to change with the other commitments I

had uh and I will want to obviously uh

go to the community and meet members of

the Jewish community uh and you know

hear from them but also as much as I can

in this situation uh reassure them what

I can say to to people you know GMP have

the closest of relationships um with um

with the community security trust who

are there to protect the Jewish Jewish

community and it would seem and I don't

want to speculate too much but it would

seem that some of the security used by

our uh colleagues in the Jewish

community has really uh played a role

here in the in in preventing this being

a worse uh situation. So before you know

I know all of the facts here, I would

want to say as well um how much we um

applaud um those um who members of the

public who alerted us to the incident,

but also those who were on the site and

dealt with it before the police arrived.

You know, we we all owe them uh a huge

debt of thanks and we think about them

and their families right now as we as we

recover from this incident.

Andy Bernham there, the mayor of

Manchester speaking a short time ago

when news of this attack was just coming

in. Well, as we watch these live

pictures coming to us from Manchester

with the security uh still very much in

evidence and we know that police

activity has continued on the ground.

I'm joined by Frank Gardner, our

security correspondent. Frank, what can

you tell us?

So I think the sequence of events that

we expect is that the the suspect the

culprit will be formally identified.

There's going to be a COBRA meeting as

you know the prime minister Kama is

coming back early uh to chair that um

and there will then almost certainly be

an announcement um probably issued from

Scotland Yard um and the motives um it

may be too early by today but the

motives the you know the priority is to

find out is anybody else involved and

what were the motives for this? about

the fact that this was a synagogue that

was attacked. You know, it would be very

surprising if this was not a jihadist

motivated attack. Um it's too early to

say, you know, was this somebody with

any link to al-Qaeda, to ISIS, to Hamas,

to Iran, to anybody. Um it's much too

soon to say that these are the investig

these are the lines of the

investigations we'll be pursuing. Um

what I would say is that um we've we

journalists have been told for quite

some time really ever since or pretty

much since October the 7th or since the

Israeli response to the atrocities of

October the 7th and the horrific death

toll and carnage in Gaza. Um there has

been a heightened alert for a

preparedness for any kind of now we

don't know if that that's what this is

if that's what the motivation is but

that is the background here and there

have been a number of plots um that have

been intercepted now only yesterday um

German police as we know in Berlin

arrested three suspected Hamas

operatives who had been observed taking

possession of firearms uh according to

the prosecution including a Kalashnikov

automatic rifle, pistols, large amount

of ammunition. So there's quite law

enforcement and intelligence in Europe

is very much on the lookout for this.

And of course, all of this, let's not

forget, is coming against the background

of the ongoing ongoing war in Ukraine

and these suspicious drones and closing

of airports. So the spooks, domestic

intelligence in all these countries,

whether it's Denmark, Germany, UK or

elsewhere, have got quite a lot on their

hands.

Yeah. And again, it's really important

not to speculate, but we have got some

images of of of the suspect.

Um, and as you said, we we saw this

Hamas arrest in Germany. And what's been

striking is that we we haven't really

seen I've not been aware of Hamas

operating in Europe. And Hamas is very

different politically in terms of

history from the other jihadist groups

that you mentioned like al-Qaeda and

ISIS because they come from completely

different traditions. So

what can you tell us about what the you

know what is known about about who might

be operating in Europe now?

So Iran has u an extensive network in

Europe. Um and there is there's been an

open um warnings given by the director

general of MI5, the security service in

this country. Um and I would expect

that's probably going to be repeated in

the next few weeks uh at some stage. um

because it was last year in October that

he said there had been at least

somewhere between 10 and 20 attempted

kidnappings and murders of um Iranian

dissident or journalists in this country

by proxies operating on behalf of the um

Islamic regime in Iran, the Iranian

revolutionary guards corps. Um so that

is a concern for some people. Now, Hamas

have denied any connection to the three

people who've been arrested in Berlin.

It's important to say that Hamas, of

course, is a prescribed terrorist group

by the EU and the UK and US. Um, but

they are the people who are currently,

as we speak, are supposed to be studying

the 20point peace plan for Gaza. So,

there's an awful lot of different things

moving at the same time here. But you're

absolutely right that Hamas is in a

different I I'm not trying to sort of

say they are more or less dangerous, but

they are in a different um category to

ISIS and al-Qaeda um who are generally

intent on largecale mass casualties um

and beyond they don't really respect

borders. Hamas is an Arabic acronym. It

stands for Islam meaning the Islamic

resistance movement. they have they are

entirely focused on the Middle East. Um

they're not interested in political

power in different countries rather like

the Taliban in Afghanistan who are only

interested in Afghanistan.

And has there been again I I know we are

speculating but I'm asking you because

of of your own background but has there

been any jihadist response to the events

of October the 7th because obviously

we're coming up to the anniversary of

that.

Yeah, there has. Um I mean initially

there was um celebration amongst

jihadists. Um but subsequently with the

ongoing Israeli actions um in Gaza and

the very high death toll there has be

there have been calls by ISIS. There was

one as recently as the 18th of September

just two weeks ago which called on its

supporters to attack Jewish targets uh

in Europe particularly in the UK. Um the

UK is a high priority target for them.

So, um, yeah, there is there is an

extent threat out there. Um, I think

we're in a different position, a

different place from where we were in

2005. So, the police and MI5 are much

more joined up. They have a combined

counterterrorism

headquarters now in London. They used to

be, if not stove piping, almost a kind

of rivalry um, in the past between them.

And certainly MI5 didn't necessarily

share everything that they should have

done with the police. That's changed.

They sit side by side. They share stuff

and they will be working very closely on

this um with you know the Northwest

counterterrorism unit

and and again looking at sort of the

wider security picture that all

governments will be watching as we come

up to this anniversary of those terrible

attacks on Israel. Um is we were talking

about ISIS, al-Qaeda and Hamas. Is there

is there any crossover at all? Because

again, historically, they're completely

different groups, aren't they? So, the

police and the security agencies, if

they're looking at a potential

jihadistic attack, will be looking what

across everything.

I mean, look, Hamas is a prescribed

terrorist group, but it is in, as I've

said again, you know, it's in a

completely different category from ISIS

and al-Qaeda. Um to my knowledge, Hamas

is not looking to carry out attacks in

this country. Um now that may change.

There may be plots that I'm unaware of

that, you know, I'm I'm not in law

enforcement. Whereas ISIS and al-Qaeda

would still like to attack this country,

whether it's Christians, Jews,

government, civilians, whatever. Um but

it's a surprise to some people that

there haven't been more more uh actions.

And I think that quite possibly you know

some details are going to come out in

the next next few months of plots that

have been thwarted.

So what what will be happening now at

Cobra as far as we know and what and how

much will they disclose because

obviously the key point I guess for the

security agencies now is is determined

was this a you know a one-off lone wolf

attacker? Were they operating with

anybody else? Are there any potential

further risks?

So COBRA which is it's another one of

these acronyms. Governments love

acronyms and COBRA stands for cabinet

office briefing room. Um the A is just

because COBRA would sound really weird.

So that's why it's called Cobra. Um and

that is designed that's a crisis

management cell that is convened every

time there is considered to be a threat

to national security. And it can even be

something like the kidnapping of British

nationals in somewhere like Uganda uh or

some you know if there is an ongoing

crisis Cobra is convened either chaired

by a senior cabinet minister or in this

occasion the prime minister and he will

have with him down the long table. It

takes place, it's no secret, it takes

place underground at number 70 Whiteall.

And um in there down the long table will

be police officers, MI5, possibly MI6 um

first responders, you know, people from

uh the ambulance service possibly um and

potentially somebody from JTAC which is

the joint terrorism analysis center

whose job it is to advise. They are

independent of government. So they set

the national terrorism threat level and

which is currently at substantial um if

it's considered that there is an ongoing

threat and that you know if there were

if for example it was decided that there

were more people out there as a part of

a wider plot connected to this and that

they could strike try and strike again

for example I would expect to see the

national terrorism threat level raised

at least to severe. It only goes up to

critical if an attack is deemed to be

imminent.

And you said the security agencies are

very stretched. They always are. Um

there's there's obviously, you know, a

lot on the European front as well that

they're having to to keep across. Um

how do they prioritize where to focus as

these multiple threats come in?

Yeah, I mean that's that's the sort of

that's the big question and they have on

a number of occasions dropped the ball.

77 being an obvious example. The

Manchester bombing was another example.

Salana um you know they don't get it

right every time and it comes down to

both prioritization and kind of good

imagination a lot of the time trying to

kind of think right you know where do we

need to be concentrating our forces

let's if somebody was trying to hit the

UK how would they you know where would

the weak points be um I would say in

terms of counterterrorism domestic CT

domestic counterterrorism

I don't think we are at quite the same

frenetic level that we were in past

years um in the wake of 77 back in 2005.

There have been busier times, but the

different the reason why they're so

stretched um and of course they're

always going to ask for more money.

That's that's that's what they do. Um

but and more resources. The reason

they're so stretched is that they are

dealing with multiple varied threats.

Back in 2005, there wasn't a full-scale

war raging on Europe's borders in

Ukraine. Um and you know we weren't

facing cyber attacks to the level that

we are today. There isn't the level of

disinformation.

Um there's also you know the the kind of

feebral political atmosphere at the

moment. You know far right far left uh

incitement all of the arguments over

that. So you know you layer all of these

things on top of each other um and

you've got quite a lot of risks there.

Frank Gardner, thanks very much indeed,

our security correspondent. Thank you so

much for that.

Well, we mentioned that a loud

controlled explosion has been heard at

the police cordon in Crumpsel. Just let

me play you that from one of the fees

that have been coming in. Take a listen.

[Music]

Was just a very brief sound there.

You'll have heard it was a loud

controlled explosion. The bomb squad are

believed to be on the scene. And our UK

correspondent Daniel Sanford is with us

too. Daniel, what do we know about

what's happened on the ground there?

Well, clearly what police are trying to

do is to make the situation safe. Uh

what they haven't been able to do thus

far is to even confirm that the suspect

is dead because of these objects that he

appears to have around his waist. So,

what they're needing to do is to make

sure uh the situation is safe. At first

glance, the objects around his waist

don't look necessarily to be uh

something suspicious. They may be what

we've seen in previous attacks, which

are sort of essentially fake explosives

strapped uh to a belt, but police

obviously can't be sure. And so, uh the

controlled explosion, and there may be

more controlled explosions, will be part

of the process of trying to make a a a

scene safe. And obviously uh the whole

point of a controlled explosion is that

you're trying to make sure that uh if

anything is going to detonate, it

happens in a way in a manner that's

under the control of the explosives

ordinance officers rather than an

uncontrolled manner. But certainly the

sound of that controlled explosion from

the scene suggests that nothing worse

happened. It was just the controlled

explosive going off and that that didn't

then detonate anything further. So um

the process of this is is sometimes

slow. Uh and we've seen it before, for

example, in the aftermark math of the

Fishmongers Hall attack in London. Um

but if it does turn out that these are,

as it were, dummy explosives uh that the

suspect is wearing, uh then quite quite

soon that the scene will become a bit

more accessible to others.

And and we we'd seen I think from the

helicopter shots that there seem to be

more police activity close to the

synagogue. And I just also wanted to ask

you, Daniel, we've obviously got this

this very sort of close-up image now of

of of the suspect and the attacker. Um,

is the I'm just reading some of the

information from our BBC verified team,

which which suggests that, you know, is

the individual's face too distant and

obscured to be recognized by facial

recognition software? There's a lot of

security cameras in the UK, aren't

there? And I just wondered, you know, do

we know how easy or difficult it is for

the police and the authorities to

actually identify the attacker?

Typically, and obviously every case is

different, but typically they'll know

the who the attacker is incredibly

quickly. Um sometimes attackers will

deliberately be carrying some form of ID

so that that's possible because

sometimes they want to be known but

otherwise the process of tracking the

journey of the vehicle to the scene will

be not uh a a complicated one. Um the

the counterterrorism police have

enormous resources at their fingertips

and in these situations all of those

resources become at the hands of the

investigators. So, I would imagine it's

unlikely to take long before they can

work out uh who the man is that's been

shot, who's obviously is thought to have

been the person that has been

responsible for the deaths at the scene

and was trying to uh cause further

damage in the synagogue. So, I don't

think that will take a long time.

Whether it takes long before we know

that identity is a living matter because

it's one thing to think you know who

somebody is to then be able to say it in

a in a situation publicly is a bit more

of a a lengthy process. Of course, this

is all stuff which will be uh briefed to

the prime minister, to the home

secretary, uh to senior counterterrorism

police officers at the Cobra meeting uh

this afternoon. Sometimes we get updates

out of these COBRA meetings about what's

been said. Sometimes we don't. Um, but I

I I think it's more likely than not uh

that they will quickly be able to work

out uh who who the person is that

they've shot and who looks likely to

have been uh responsible for this

attack. I think the only reason why that

would be difficult would be if someone

has actually traveled a long way uh from

uh miles away, but as you say, there's

actually been quite a lot of activity at

a house just 5 minutes uh from the

scene. And certainly the police seem to

be initially focusing someone really

really close somewhere really really

close to the synagogue which might

suggest uh that they have got some made

some progress in identifying uh the

suspect and that's somebody who actually

lives quite close to the synagogue.

Obviously gets very early days in the

investigation but that's what it this at

least at this stage it looks like. And

do we know Daniel also whether there's

any information as to whether the

attacker was operating alone or with

others because I imagine you knowing any

potential future risks is is obviously a

key concern for the police as well as

trying to understand the motive. The

simple answer to that question is we

don't. I mean there doesn't appear to

have been anyone else at the scene or at

least not that the police are aware of.

So that would suggest it can be a lone

attacker, but you know, you won't have a

situation where any police officer is

going to say at this stage, oh yeah,

we're sure he's a a lone attacker

because they will be worried about

whether this is maybe one of a sequence

of attacks or uh whether there'll be

possibility of copycat attacks. These

kind of things that immediately cross

the mind of counterterrorism detectives.

So, I think they're going to want to see

what they find from their initial

investigations, what they see from their

initial uh kind of investigations into

the man's networks. You may remember

that after the Manchester bombing,

actually quite a lot of people were

arrested. Uh but actually, it looked

like really it was the Manchester bomber

and his brother that knew the details of

the attack and it was kind of

questionable how much any of the others

were arrested uh were aware of what was

uh going to happen. So it it can be a

situation whereby a lot of lot lot of

people get arrested as the police make

their investigations and then if it does

turn out to be uh a single person's

actions then um those arrests kind of

are stood down.

This kind of attack a vehicle and a and

a knife is something that can be done

just by somebody on their own. It

doesn't need to be done in coordination

with anyone else. And and Daniel, we

know the the prime minister said there

will be more police protection across

synagogues today. Today, a particularly

significant day for the Jewish faith.

Um,

and obviously we're also in the run-up

to the anniversary of of the attack on

Israel uh coming up next week. Um,

in terms of the general sort of security

preparedness and the sort of level of

tension and and the level of police

resource that can be devoted to that, do

we know how stretched things are?

Listen, the police are always stretched,

but clearly today is a day when they

will want to make sure that they are

giving both a reassuring presence but

also a deterring presence outside as

many synagogues as they can and the

prime minister has essentially ordered

that to happen. Now whether it's

possible for every single uh place of

the Jewish faith to have somebody

outside it today and tomorrow I think is

probably questionable because of the

large number of synagogues that there

are. But the police will clearly be

making every effort uh to be visibly

present outside as many synagogues or

possible certainly one near to the BBC

for example has already got a police

presence uh outside of it outside it.

But we have heard reports from other

synagogues in London where at this stage

it's still their own security. there's

no sign of a peace uh presence yet. So,

it's worth bearing in mind that

synagogues have considered the

possibility of something like this for a

very very long time, even before October

the 7th. This is something that's been

at the back of their minds and often at

the front of the the minds of people

like the Community Security Trust for a

long time. So, they do have uh quite

good security um protective security as

much as they can, but of course you

can't do much about a vehicle driving up

and running into people and and somebody

stabbing people coming in and out of a

building. That's quite difficult to deal

with unless you have the police on the

scene at all times. But I think

certainly the police will want to be

doing everything they can both as a re

reassurance and a deterrence today.

Daniel Sanford, very great report for

your time. Thanks very much indeed.

Well, I'm joined now by Alex Hearn,

who's co-director of Labor Against

Anti-Semitism. Thank you for being with

us, Mr. Hearn. Just your thoughts today

as we still get details of this attack.

Well, many Jews understood that it was

never if an attack like this was going

to happen, it was when because attacks

against Jews have spiraled out of

control and some mass attacks have

already been foiled by the security

services. But despite all this

incitement and hate against Jews has

been allowed to flourish in many cases

by the authorities and there's a lot of

anger about that. Um we've witnessed

weekly demonstrations characterized by

racism. People feel empowered to make

statements that wouldn't have been out

of place in Nazi Germany. Even a doctor

prompting health secretary wears

streeting to condemn the language which

he says reflects the values of Nazis,

not the NHS. And yet we've seen very

little action on this. We've watched

hate take root in institutions from

universities to unions and it

masquerades as art too. Uh in the case

of Glastonbury for example which the BBC

admitted was problematic and then it was

broadcast into the nation's living

rooms. So I have to say the signs were

there already. For example, in 2022,

charges were dropped against a convoy

who drove through town shouting, "Rape

Jewish daughters." And so, we've seen

this dehumanization of Jews, which has

become so pervasive that many will seek

to blame Jews for this horrific attack.

And synagogues have needed security for

a long, long time. Even Jewish schools,

including primary schools, many of your

viewers won't know that. Like America,

children have to practice what to do in

the event of a gunman breaking in to

kill them. And this is the reality of

globalized the inter father. So Jews are

not allowed to enjoy things the way that

other people can. The right to go to

school safely, the right to worship

safely, cornerstones of our democracy.

Something needs to be done. obviously

hear hear that sentiment and um there

has been a rising threat against the

Jewish community in the UK that's been

recorded. Um obviously people will also

be concerned today to to ensure that the

language is is not you know going to

ramp up tensions further and we don't

know we should say we don't know the

identity of the attacker. We don't know

any motive as yet. But um when you say

that you would like things to be

changed,

can you give me any examples of

legislation or specific acts that

institutions or government could or

should put in place?

Sure. We have seen I gave the example of

a doctor and that doctor is not the only

one uh spouting this kind of language

publicly even and

this doctor was let off. So something

needs to be done and we're seeing this

right through our institutions as well

and it's really unacceptable and again

the the the racism on the marches that

needs to be cracked down on some of the

language which is so insightful which me

means that Jewish people feel unable to

go into their town centers uh for the

last few years is completely

unacceptable.

something needs to be done and it needs

to be more decisive right throughout

institutions.

Okay. In terms of how people will react

today, it is a it's a holy day for the

Jewish calendar. Can you tell me what

people have been saying to you? Will

they are they still going to the

synagogue? Do you think people are going

to be more careful in the run-up to the

anniversary of the October the 7th

attacks? I I would normally never agree

to this interview today. This is Yam

Kipur. It's the holiest day of the

Jewish calendar, but here I am because

people were killed for being Jewish at

synagogue. So I think people are sad and

confused and upset and and really angry

as well actually that this thing which

has been bubbling away for 2 years, you

know, um kind of unabated and it was

just recently that feces were smeared on

synagogues and schools were attacked in

one location in London. So people are

very there's a mixture of emotions and

and and none of them are are happy ones.

Um it's just a deep deep sadness and

frustration. Uh

I don't know whether you're in touch

with anyone from this particular

community in Manchester.

Uh yes, I I know I haven't actually got

in direct contact with people from the

community, but I do know people from

that community and there will be serious

shock about what has happened about the

the the size of the attack as well. I

think

yeah, Alex Hern grateful to you also for

your time today and uh thank you for

speaking to us. Alex and co-director of

Labor against anti-semitism.

Well, for more reaction to this, I also

spoke to Graeme Stringer, MP, who is the

local Labor MP for Blackly in Middleton

South. He started by telling me what he

knew of what had happened.

A car drove into

uh the man on security at the front of

the synagogue.

Uh he ran into other people and then

attempted to stab people. He was shot

dead and a number of people have been

stabbed and I believe two of those

people uh have have died as well as the

uh person who drove the car into them.

Uh the police have told me directly that

uh they were there within seven months

uh 7 months 7 minutes which is an

impressive uh performance and they're

securing the area uh now

and and obviously everyone's thoughts

with those who have been injured. We're

told three people are in a serious

condition and of course the families of

those who've been killed.

Yes. I mean I I have been the local MP

uh for that synagogue for a long time. I

have lived within a stones throw of it

much of my adult life. I been into the

synagogue for hustings during general

elections for services to talk to people

about contemporary situations. So I I

know many of the people who attend that

uh synagogue by first name. So I I mean

I would be upset uh an attack like that

anywhere in Manchester or anywhere in

the country indeed. But I'm I'm

particularly

uh upset because I I I know it so well.

Do you know any of the victims yet? I

don't know if you're in a position to to

I I I've got no information uh on the

the names of uh of the victims, but over

the next uh day or two, I will go and

visit uh the rabbi and and talk to

people. As I say, I've lived within I'm

not Jewish myself, but I've lived within

the Jewish community

uh for many many uh years. I know I will

know many of the people who were at the

service in the synagogue for what is the

holiest day of the year uh for Jewish

people.

Well, that was Graeme Stringer, MP for

the uh part of Manchester where this

attack happened a few hours ago today.

Martin Croxell is with me. We're seeing

some uh news of arrests. We can't fully

confirm that ourselves yet, Martin, but

PA are reporting.

Yes.

That police activity.

Yes. Now, about just under an hour ago,

PA were also reporting that a street

about a quarter of a mile from the uh

Heaton Park Synagogue, which was under

attack today, seemed to become the focus

of quite a lot of police activity. armed

police were standing guard outside the

police tape that had been uh put uh to

create a cordon on White House Avenue

also in Crumpsell. Uh a number of police

vehicles were parked nearby. It wasn't

easy at the time to see whether there

was a particular property that was under

scrutiny. But we've just also heard

again on PA they're quoting um a man who

lives on White House Avenue. he didn't

want to be named that he'd seen two men

in handcuffs being led away by police.

He said they've arrested two people on

our road. He didn't know who they were

or which house they were linked to. Um

but uh he said they've closed the road

and there was a police helicopter

hovering by which we we knew about for

sure. He said that White House Avenue is

a no through road and is usually very

quiet. So that's just around the corner

from Heaton Park Synagogue where

Accordon of course still remains in

place as police continue their

investigation. Lots of comingings and

going people being asked earlier in the

day not to uh go to that part of um of

Manchester if they didn't need to. And

uh also a number of hospitals have been

in put into lockdown as a precaution

earlier on when this major incident was

uh uh uh declared at around 9 this

morning and as a consequence of that to

make sure that the hospitals in the area

are able to deal with those who are a

priority uh they people have been asked

not to go to accident and emergency

departments unless absolutely essential

and Martin we should just stress that

that is PA copy quoting a resident

We've not had any police confirmation of

arrest as yet. So, we should absolutely

clarify that, but we will try and get

more information on that. And and just

to update everyone in terms of the

information that we know, three people

are in serious condition. People have

been warned not to go to the hospitals,

you know, unless they absolutely need to

and in an emergency condition

themselves. Two people killed and the

suspected attacker also shot by the

police. They haven't fully confirmed his

condition, but it's believed that he's

also been killed. And we heard from our

colleague Frank Gardner a short time ago

um that the security agencies obviously

now are going to be looking at whether

this was a lone attack or whether others

could be involved and that's really

really important for them to know about

whether you know whether there's any

further threat. We also we know don't we

in instance like this that a huge number

of background checks need to be made.

Who is this person? What were their

connections? Is there any evidence on

social media that there was something

being planned? Who are they working

with? Are they aligned to any particular

group that have um been watched by the

authorities? I mean, there's so much

that goes on behind the scenes that we

never get to hear about that the

intelligence agencies are involved with,

particularly with regard to

international cooperation as well.

Thank you very much indeed Martin

Croxell my colleague who has been across

all the details for us in the last few

hours and there's been a huge amount of

political reaction. We are waiting now

for a COBRA meeting convened by the

prime minister who's flown back early

from Copenhagen. The home secretary and

the mayor of Manchester are going to

join that emergency meeting in the next

couple of hours and senior police

officers given the scale and the

severity of today's attack in the north

of England. We are back in a few minutes

with a full update. This is BBC News.

[Music]

This is BBC News. I'm Gita Goramuthi.

These are live pictures from Manchester

and the scene of the attack earlier

today. The police in Greater Manchester

say at least two people have died in a

suspected terror attack outside a

synagogue in the north of the city.

Police were called to reports that a car

had been driven at members of the public

in Crumpsell and that one person had

been stabbed. Armed police shot a

suspect on the grounds of the building.

His condition is not known because of

suspicious items on his body and the

bomb disposal officers are at the scene.

We earlier heard sounds of what seemed

to be a controlled explosion.

And uh we heard that moment of the

controlled explosion. I am hoping we can

play that for you now.

[Music]

going off behind.

Those sounds came in on a live feed for

us. Let's speak to our reporter Danny

Savage who's at the scene for us. Danny,

just give us an update of what's going

on there. We saw uh apparent police

activity on the ground there and reports

on PA of of possibly some arrests. I

don't know whether there's been any

confirmation of that from the police as

yet.

Um well, as far as controlled explosions

goes, we know that well I've heard in

the last hour three loud bangs here in

the local area. Now if they are

controlled explosions, then yes, there

have been three of them, but they that

hasn't been confirmed by the

authorities. This is the scene behind me

at the moment. We're just uh 100 meters

or so from the synagogue where the

attack happened first thing this

morning. You can see behind me there are

unmarked police cars parked up still

with their lights flashing. Two fire

engines, medical equipment on the floor

as well by the fire engines. And the

actual synagogue uh where this incident

happened this morning is down here round

to the left and then it's on the other

side of the road on the right uh short

just a short distance around that

corner. That area is all sealed off at

the moment. Now, it did happen the alarm

was raised by a 999 call at 9:31 this

morning by a member of the public saying

that they'd seen a car driving into a

crowd of people and a man then um using

a knife to to stab people here as well.

At 9:37 that major incident was declared

by Greater Manchester Police and at 9:38

shots were fired by GMP police officers

um who were here very quickly. Clearly

there was an armed response vehicle from

Greater Manchester Police which would be

on patrol at any time anyway, but wasn't

too far from here um at the time and was

here to deal with the incident. The man

was shot initially. He went down on the

ground. It appears from reports he then

tried to get up again despite police

warnings to him to stay down and more

shots were fired. Police haven't been

able to get to him though um because of

items that he had strapped to his body

and in short there it's unclear. They

were unsure whether or not he had an

explosive device strapped to him. Um,

hence the bomb squad being called in,

the bomb spells unit from the army and

those potential controlled explosions

that we've heard over the last hour. For

much of the morning, it was thought that

there was an incident where the

perpetrator had been killed by police

and that four people had been injured um

by being run over or stabbed by him

before police got to him. And then

shortly after midday today, we had the

update from police to say that actually

two members of the public had been

killed here and three others were

seriously injured and the perpetrator

had been killed as well. Uh as a result

of this happening here in Manchester

this morning, uh the prime minister has

said that there is extra security now at

all uh Jewish synagogues across uh the

UK at the moment. This is Yonkapur, the

holiest day of the year in the Jewish

calendar. So, um, that is, uh, security

has been raised at all those different

sites around the country until police

can be clear of whether or not this is

more of a an organized an organized

attack or whether this was just a

one-off uh, involving the perpetrator

who police shot here this morning. Thing

that struck me here, and you're

beginning to hear it now, is the kind of

eerie, shocked silence of this area at

the moment. This should be a bustling

residential area with people coming and

going throughout the day. But now that

that police helicopter has moved away,

which has been hovering over here for

much of the morning and early afternoon,

it is very very quiet here at the

moment. There's a shock silence if you

like. And talking to people here in the

community, members of the Jewish

community, the Orthodox Jewish

community, um they're obviously have

their religious observations at the

moment because of Yon Kapur, but we I've

talked to a couple of them off camera

quietly about what what's happened

today. And they said that they've been

expecting this. They feel that there has

been a real rise of anti-semitism of

hate crimes against against Jews and

they are not surprised that this

incident has happened although it is

still shocking that it has happened.

And Danny, we've we've seen some of the

verified footage from an eyewitness and

um a still image of the suspect and the

police activity clearly continuing. Um,

have you been told about any of those uh

reported arrests? As I said, the PA news

agency said that they spoke to a witness

who didn't want to be identified who

lives on White House Avenue who said um

that they arrested two men on our road,

but he didn't know the men. They closed

the road, a police helicopter, and there

were six or seven police cars with armed

police. And we did see from the

helicopter images um activity in the

vicinity because obviously uh naming the

attacker, working out a motivation,

working out whether they are connected

to any others involved in this, whe

there's any further threat is a key

priority I'm sure for the security

services and for the police.

[Applause]

Yeah, I mean the arrests and activity at

the location you've talked about, we

know is ongoing at the moment. What we

don't know is what it exactly is

connected to and I think we just have to

be a little bit careful about jumping to

conclusions about what that is. Now,

obviously behind the scenes at the

moment, um there is a major operation

underway by the security services and

the police to try and establish who this

man was. Now, we know from BBC Verify

that we do have a still of him um which

was taken at the time and the BBC

verified confirmed that a still image

said to said to show the perpetrator of

today's attack in Manchester was taken

from just outside the perimeter fence of

the scene of the attack. The

individual's appearance, bald head,

beard, dark clothes, white objects

around his waist matches that of a man

being seen apparently shot by police at

the same location in verified video from

the scene of the attack. Um the

photograph was taken on the western side

of the heat pie synagogue. So

effectively we have an image of the

person responsible for the attack here.

Um you can you can you know bet your

life that the police and security

services will be would have done got the

work underway at you know 9:45 this

morning as soon as those images came in

to work out who this person was, where

they lived, who their associates are and

whether that is a wider threat to the

general public or whether this person

was working alone. Now, we don't know

the answers to those questions and we

don't probably don't expect to hear them

just yet, but there is a huge um you

know, talking from past incidents like

this. There is a huge operation going on

behind the scenes that we don't know

about which will involve um

counterterrorism policing. It involve

the um security services here in the UK.

It will involve Greater Manchester

Police of course as well because it's on

their patch and they've been dealing

with it. So, we have all these things

going on at the moment. Uh, and we have

those that that activity on on on White

House Avenue, White House Lane, wherever

you were talking about um a few minutes

ago. We know that's ongoing at the

moment. What we don't know is exactly

what that's connected to. There was a

car involved. Where's the car come from?

Where's the registration listed to? All

that sort of thing is building a picture

of who this person was. At the same time

that a community is trying to come to

terms with the awful shock and sadness

that they've lost two of their own here

in this incident this morning, have

others seriously injured and what they

feared would happen at a Jewish

synagogue or another Jewish

establishment for the last few years has

happened on their doorstep. So there's

always, you know, two things

simultaneously happening here.

Danny Savage for now. Thanks very much

indeed. Well, I'm joined by Rafi Bloom,

who is co-chair of Northwest Friends of

Israel, was on his way, I think, to the

synagogue when this attack happened.

Rafi, just tell us where you were. What

did you hear? And, uh, I don't know

whether you've been in touch with anyone

at this synagogue.

Yes, I was on my way. I'm a member of

that synagogue. Um, I was there last

night as it happened as well. Um, and I

was on my way there at about 9:35 this

morning when I received a phone call

from a friend of mine who volunteers

with CST, with the community security

trust to say there had been a terrorist

incident there uh and to stay away and

to tell my wife and my children and

grandchildren to stay away as well. So

naturally um huge shock, huge fear uh

unknown about what would happen to our

friends in there. The rabbi is a good

friend of mine as well. Um so just

initially one of absolute shock and

horror

and Rafi obviously we don't want to

publicly name any of the victims or

those who might be seriously ill

publicly before the police do so or are

in touch with their families. So I'll

just mention that but I just wondered

whether you or others are aware of of

who has been um you know critically

injured or seriously injured here.

I'm not aware of any particular names at

this stage. Um the the the the synagogue

operates with two professional security

guards who stand outside the gate and

two volunteer uh synagogue members who

will be inside the perimeter with stab

vests on uh to screen people coming into

a synagogue sadly um at a 24-hour 7-day

a week fact of life for Jewish

organizations, synagogues and schools

across our country even in 2025. Um so

I'm not sure who was there at that time.

Um the synagogue is a large synagogue

has a capacity of just under 900 at that

time of the morning because the service

would have just started. There might

have been 50 or 60 people um present um

but that's all that I know at this

stage.

How are you feeling today? It's very

shocking to watch what's unfolded here.

It's shocking but sadly expected. You

know, for two years, um, ever since

October the 7th happened, the Jewish

community in this country has faced a

tsunami of Jew hatred. Whether that is

online, whether that's physical attacks,

vandalism, um whether that is Jewish

patients being mistreated in the NHS by

pro Palestinian medics, whether that's

our students on university campuses

being faced with a wave of intimidation,

hate marches up and down the country

every Saturday holding signs that

compare Jews and Israelis to Nazis. Um

and um it's just been incessant. And so

we all knew that this was going to come.

Every single Jewish person in this

country understood that this moment

would come at some stage because this

hatred has been allowed to go unchecked

for two years. And sadly today, I never

thought it would happen at my synagogue

in my city. But it's something that we

all expected. Um, as your correspondent

referenced earlier when speaking to

people outside the synagogue, we all

knew this day was going to come. Ju

just tell us about the people that you

gather there with. What What sort of

community is it?

It's an old community. When I say old,

it's been around for many, many years.

It's a vibrant community, young

families. As I said, you know, um I was

10 days ago during Rash Sha, the Jewish

New Year. I did a volunteer stint on

that gate for security. I was in

synagogue uh with my six-year-old

grandson and seven-year-old

granddaughter, with my wife, with family

members. Um there are many generations

of families that go there from

grandparents all the way down in some

cases to great grandchildren. The rabbi,

Rabbi Daniel Walker, is an outstanding

person who engages in a significant

amount of interfaith work with faith

communities across Greater Manchester,

including the Muslim community. Um, it's

a welcoming synagogue. There are many

schools that go to visit it to

understand what Judaism is about, see a

synagogue, often for in many cases for

the first time. Um, you know, the Jewish

community doesn't deserve to be targeted

like this. We're proud Manunian Jews.

We've played a part in this city for

over 150 years, making it the great city

it is. um we're not going anywhere. But

this hatred has been allowed to run

unchecked despite repeated warnings um

from our community leaders, from our

faith leaders, from the chief rabbi,

from other people. And it's been

ignored. We're a democracy. Everybody

can have an opinion on a conflict

happening two and a half thousand miles

away. But as a community, we have tried

to engage with other communities to say,

"Look, we can listen to each other. We

can hear each other. We can hear each

other's point of view, but we should be

able to do that civily and with

respect." that hasn't happened and Jews

are fearful. You know, I I tell the

story, I wear a Star of David around my

neck. Had an appointment at the NHS

about a year ago. Um I was scared that I

would be mistreated because I was

identified as a Jew and so I took it

off. And I'm really actually quite

ashamed that I did, but I felt that I

had to. Just after October the 7th, my f

my 5-year-old grandson at the time had

to undergo a drill in his school, which

happened actually as it as the case

appears to be 5 minutes away from the

Peten Park synagogue that we're

discussing now that he had to undergo a

drill to go under a desk in case there

was a bomb threat. We're British Jews.

We're citizens. We love this country. We

say a prayer in the synagogue that was

attacked today. There is a prayer for

the king and the queen said every

Saturday on the Sabbath services and at

high holy days. We're proud citizens,

but we are being targeted by an element

of fellow British citizens for an event

that is happening two and a half

thousand miles away. And it has got

worse and worse. And it has ended up

with many Jews questioning whether they

have a future in this country. I

question whether my children and

grandchildren have a future in this

country. If we can't feel safe in our

NHS, if if our young people can't feel

safe on campus, if I have to walk down

the street and remove signs that make me

visibly identifiable as Jewish, and I'm

not ultra orthodox, so I I sort of can

blend into a certain extent, what does

that say about our society? What does

that say about our political leadership?

That they can throw resources at guards

and fences, but not at the underlying

issues that are making Jews fearful for

their own safety in this country, as we

saw today on the streets of Greater

Manchester.

Yeah, obviously those feelings of of

fear have been increasing for many

communities in this country. Just to let

people know, an SAS helicopter has now

been seen flying over the scene in

Crumpsol and we know that security and

police forces are operating still on the

ground at the moment. Um I just wanted

to ask you about that sense of

visibility um Rafi because as you said

some people are ultraorththodox. How

many people who worshiped at the

synagogue were you know wore those those

visible signs of of of Judaism and do

you think people are going to be

frightened now to gather at synagogues

in future?

So there are different levels of of

observance within Judaism and many of

your viewers will be familiar with the

ultraorththodox members of our community

who wear you know black garb mostly and

big sort of black hats. There are other

members of our community who are

observers who wear a skull cap on their

head but dress in jeans and t-shirts and

and different types of attire. And then

there are Jews who who don't wear those,

you know, a skull cap or anything like

that, but will wear a Star of David

around their neck or something like

that. And um so obviously Jews that are

more visibly identifiable as being

Jewish are more at risk of physical

attack, but we've all been subjected to

attack online, vandalism of of of of

community property. Um, so it's it's

it's affected all of us. Um, and people

are scared to I mean, my wife said to

me, as I mentioned at the Jewish New

Year, he she said, "I'm scared to go to

to synagogue um, now because of what's

going on." And I said, "No, we've got to

go. We've got to go. We have to be proud

and we have to show ourselves." And we

do, but she was right because look what

happened 10 days later. So, we're not

going to cower away. You know, we are we

are not going to disappear. We, as I

said, we're proud British Jews. We've

contributed to the city. We're proud to

be British Jews. We're not going

anywhere. We are absolutely terrified.

Um, but you know, uh, an Mafam Bean who

was an Israeli prime minister many years

ago once said, "We are not Jews with

trembling and we're not. And we will

stand up and we will remain part of our

community, remain part of our society.

Uh, and we will stand for what we

believe in. We will never import a

conflict two and a half thousand miles

away onto our streets and visit that on

other societies and other communities.

Unfortunately, that is what is happening

to us today. And it's now time for our

political leadership to take a stronger

um line to say these hate marches that

make, you know, Jews don't want to go

shopping in town on Saturday when

they're they're faced with placards that

say Jews are Nazis and there's a new

Holocaust.

Enough is enough. But unfortunately, all

this, you know, there's a there's an NHS

doctor at the moment who's under

investigation for calling the Royal Free

Hospital a cesspit of Jewish supremacy,

and she's not been suspended. She's not

been fired. What Jewish person can go be

and be treated by her in the safe

knowledge that that they'll get the

right ethical treatment? They can't. Our

students on campus are intimidated. they

can't, you know, we've got um Jewish

people in workplaces and creative spaces

who are forced to undergo some form of

Nazi style purity test where they have

to say they're either a Zionist, which

is another word for a Jew, or not. The

vast majority of people in this country

are Zionist who believe in the right of

Israel to exist as a nation state.

We we are we are being intimidated

constantly and it needs to end.

Josh Kaplan, thank you very much indeed.

We should stress at this stage we don't

know the motive for this attack. We

don't know what it's linked to. We don't

know the identity of the suspect or the

attacker either, but uh we we thank you

for your time, Josh Kaplan.

Uh thank you very much. Sorry, Rafy

Bloom. Thank you very much indeed.

[Music]

Just to let you know, breaking news that

the police in Manchester have now

confirmed that three people have died,

including the suspect who was shot by

firearms officers. We heard earlier that

police said that two people had died

after the attack and a third thought to

be the attacker was presumed dead, but

they hadn't confirmed it due to

suspicious items on his person. But uh

we also know three others are in serious

condition, but the police have now

confirmed that the suspected attacker in

Manchester has been killed by police

officers. Uh a witness told the BBC

earlier that a suspect had given a

couple of warnings which he didn't

listen to, so they opened fire.

Well, I am joined now by a journalist at

the Jewish Chronicle, Josh Kaplan. Thank

you for being with us. And uh we're just

hearing that news that the the suspected

attacker has been killed, but we don't

still have a name or a motive. We we

don't know exactly yet what is what lies

behind this attack. But what what are

your thoughts? What are you hearing um

from those in the Jewish community after

this terrible attack that's happened

earlier today?

Yeah. So, thank first of all, thank you

for having me on. I think the

overwhelming sense from the British

Jewish community at the moment that this

in many ways was a sadly predictable

consequence of of not only everything

that's happened over the last two years

in this country, but but but over a much

longer time time scale. You know, I I

grew up going to a synagogue in in South

London where we had uh security every

single day, every single Saturday when

we went uh to pray there. I've

experienced uh communities across the

world, mostly in the Western world,

where there's just been a constant

security presence. And I think, you

know, while people didn't expect that

this would happen in Manchester or this

would happen today, there was a general

sense that that something like this was

coming down the down the tracks and and

and and the community is is grieving and

communities are mourning now and but

most of all, we're we're we're just not

really surprised that that this is this

has happened.

What do you think realistically should

happen now to make places of worship

secure? because we've heard K star say

that extra police will be deployed at

synagogues across the country, but it

it's difficult to see that being a

permanent resource given given

everything so stretched.

Yeah, I I think I think to a certain

extent chucking more police at the

problem is is is is trying to treat the

treat the outcomes rather than than

treat the the causes of this. you know,

Jewish community have been screaming

louder and louder since October 7th that

we feel under threat that we feel that

anti-semitism is not being taken

seriously. I think the one of the main

reasons for this is that the temperature

of the discussion and the discourse and

the the disagreements that we have over

the the conflict in Israel has just

broken down this this taboo and this

this um this restraint that people had

about anti-semitism and it's it's

unleashed this whole wave of feelings.

And you know, no one's going to sit here

and say that that you're not allowed to

criticize Israel. People of a free

country is to more than more than

allowed to do that. But when it when it

crosses over into anti-semitism and it's

minimized and it's allowed to fester,

then then what you see is what happens

today. Because all it takes is is for is

for someone who, you know, again, we

don't know anything about the suspect,

but but doesn't seem like they're of

sound mind. of someone like that to to

read into these things and say, "Oh,

well, you know, now it's open season on

Jews and and I'll feel emboldened and

able to do this sort of thing." So, I

think all across our society and all

across the world really, we need to

really think about the temperature of

this conversation about Israel and and

otherwise we'll see what what happened

today in Manchester, which is more

attacks on Jews and and people that

frankly have nothing to do what's with

what's happening in Israel.

Yeah. And and again, I I very much

understand the sentiment of of of you

and our other guests on a day like

today, but I think we just need to

stress that we don't know the motive

here. We don't know whether it's

connected to international events. We

don't we don't know the identity of the

suspect as yet. We we will we should

just wait for the authorities to give us

any further information, but clearly

there have been increasing threats um

against the Jewish population in the UK

for some time now. Um

I just wonder whether you think people

are going to change their behavior in

terms of whether they gather in public,

whether they do whether they people are

already changing their behavior as we

heard from our last guest about whether

they are visibly Jewish.

Yeah. Look, I think there will be a wide

range of the spectrum of responses to

this. I think there will be some Jews

that um will feel threatened and will

feel especially in smaller communities

where they don't necessarily have the

big security apparatus. But I think at

the end of the day, the Jews are a very

resilient people. And I think we'll

we'll continue to come out and we'll

continue to pray and we'll continue to

to not shy away from from displaying who

we are. You know, sometimes you see

people who are Orthodox Jewish who wear

a kipa, which is a sort of head

covering, try and cover that up with a

baseball cap and and they do a million

little things to kind of exist in their

in their surroundings to make themselves

feel slightly less threatened. But I

think ultimately people will still

continue to celebrate the holidays.

They'll still come out to the

synagogues. And I think what you see in

Jewish communities around the world is

is whenever things like this happen, the

Jews come together and it's

it's a horrible thing to say, but it but

it but it ends up with a with a really

strong feeling of community because

people want to be around people like

them who understand what they're going

through. And and to to address your

question, I don't think this is going to

stop Jewish life in this country. I

don't think this is going to change

Jewish life in this country. But what I

think it will do is just make people

feel a little bit less welcome for being

British Jews in Britain today.

And in terms of of what can be done to

dial down the political temperature, are

there practical actions that could

happen that aren't?

Yeah. I mean, I I think if you look at

the way that um a lot of the things that

happen on these protests and you know,

the marches that go on week by week,

every Saturday in major cities across

the UK, again, people are allowed to

protest against Israel. people are

allowed to make their feelings clear

about what is clearly a very emotional

issue. But when you've got people

marching with swastikas draped in blood

and when you've got people who have

superimposed you horrible imagery onto

Israeli flags and and and you know

giving Jewish prime ministers horns. I I

think if we had a bit more of a robust

system of dealing with these things, you

know, the Met Police in London have

taken action sometimes, but it's not

been consistent. And you know, sometimes

they've rooted

uh marches away from synagogues and and

all that's really welcome, but I think

there's not enough focus on the little

things that that build into something

bigger. You know, we had an incident

that we reported about the Jewish

Chronicle a few weeks ago where there

was a man in Golders Green, which is a

very Jewish area of London, going around

smearing excrement on synagogues day in

day out, doing at different synagogues

every night, whatever. And the police

didn't take it seriously for for about 2

or 3 weeks. And you know, you can't draw

a direct line from incidents like that

to instance we've seen in Manchester.

But I think what Jews would want is for

the police to just to to feel like the

police are applying a consistent rule to

all of these things and for any any

signs of anti-semitism or any signs of

dehumanizing Jews to be taken incredibly

seriously, which sometimes the Jewish

community doesn't feel that they are.

And and you you will know that we've

spoken to people in Manchester itself

who said it's a it's a very happily

mixed neighborhood. people of all faiths

live there, work there, are neighbors.

Um, and that that's long been the

tradition and all communities have a

responsibility, don't they, to temper

the language even on a day like today.

Yeah, definitely. And and I think, you

know, the hope is that the the moderate

elements of all communities will will

come together and condemn these things

and say this is not acceptable. And and

yeah, I hope that this is a moment that

if anything, we can learn how to get

along slightly better. Yeah, and as I

said, we don't know whether this you

what the motive was or or who was behind

this as yet, even though there have been

some pictures circulating, of course,

that we've verified to of the suspect.

Um, in terms of how people go on from

today, we're coming up to the

anniversary of October the 7th. Um, what

what would you like to hear from the

government in practical terms after

today? We we know there's going to be a

Cobra security meeting which is

obviously going to focus on the police

and the intelligence work that must go

on now. Um but is there anything

specific that you would like to hear

from the prime minister?

Yeah, I think to his credit the prime

minister's been been very firm on this,

but I think what we what the Jews of

this country would love to hear is that

it is a new consensus forming around uh

anti-semitism and around targeting Jews

that it just isn't acceptable under any

circumstances. And I think what we've

heard so much of is so much anger and so

much frustration and so much of this

boiling over of the of the sort of

political rhetoric. And I think it would

be really great if parties could come

together and say, you know what, this

this should make us rethink what we're

doing. And and as you know or as as many

of your viewers will know that extremism

in any form usually ends up targeting

the Jews. And so I think if we just all

agree to lower the political temperature

in this country and and return to more

of a moderate politics, I think I think

that'll make the Jews of this country

feel a lot safer.

And and from from your reporting, have

the Orthodox communities, those are also

who are ultraorththodox who who um you

know, visibly by their clothes and so on

are more, you know, I suppose

susceptible. Um have they faced more

threats than than others? Because what

do we know about where the threats have

come from in the UK?

So the CST, which is the the Community

Security Trust, which does a lot of work

on anti anti-semitism, published a

report earlier this year which not only

revealed that there was an unprecedented

level of anti-semitism, but it kind of

really broke down the different types.

And so what you usually see is the

ultraorththodox community are targeted

in a lot of these like instinctual um

you know, they see a Jew, someone sees a

Jewish person, they want to target them,

you know, they're targeted in a lot of

those ways just because of of their

visible nature. But the whole community

faces an entire range of different

anti-semitic threats. You know,

everything from, you know, journalists

of the Jewish Chronicle or or other

Jewish communal figures being like

constantly harassed on social media. Um

to mainstream Jewish community

organizations just not telling people

their addresses. You know, if you are a

Jewish person in this country and you

want to sign up for something and you

want to go to a Jewish event, you have

to pass through levels of different

security before you even get there,

before you even know when or where

something's happening. And and it's

because of things like today that that

we feel that we need to to to do these

things. And yes, the the ultraorththodox

are are more visible and they're more,

you know, obviously targetable, but the

whole range of the Jewish community

faces threats and intimidation and

anti-semitism dayto-day.

Okay. Josh Kaplan, journalist at the

Jewish Chronicle. Thank you very much

indeed for your time today. Thank you.

Just to uh let you know another update

from the police in Manchester. They have

confirmed that the suspect has been shot

by armed officers and he has died. We

don't know the suspect's identity or the

motive as yet. The force also said that

a loud noise heard at the scene was

officers gaining entry to his vehicle as

a precaution. This is all coming to us

from the PA news agency, I should say.

And the police force said that in

response to today's incident, a loud

noise was heard at the scene as

specialist resources gained entry to the

suspect's vehicle. There's no risk to

the public and ongoing activity in

relation to this major incident can be

expected as we continue our inquiries.

People are urged to avoid the area and

speak to officers if they have any

concerns. They also say we have officers

deployed across key sites in the local

area. We can confirm three people have

died including the offender who was shot

by firearms officers and we also know

that uh three people are in serious

condition being treated now. Well, as

you can imagine, there is a lot of video

footage on social media. Merlin Thomas

from BBC Verify team has been looking at

it for us.

This is a developing story and we're

still piecing together the details as

they're emerging of the attack at Heaton

Park Synagogue in Manchester. Now, we've

been investigating a video that's

circulating on social media from the

scene of the attack, which appears to

show the moment police open fire on a

suspect at the synagogue. In the video

we verified, we can see two armed police

officers, both with their weapons raised

and pointing at someone lying on the

ground. And then as the camera pans, we

can see a man lying on the ground just

outside the grounds of the synagogue

wearing a kipper, a Jewish cap. We can

see him lying in a pool of blood. Now,

one of the officers then approaches the

fence where a small group of people had

gathered. And the officer then shouts

loudly, "Everybody else, he has a bomb.

Go away." Seconds later, the figure that

was being watched by police attempts to

stand up. Sharp cracks ring out and the

man falls to the ground. Now, there are

a few people standing by, watching in a

panic as the police attend to the scene

and others hurry away. We've also

verified a still image circulating

online showing a man believed to be a

suspect at the synagogue wearing three

white objects around his waist. Now, the

individual's appearance, bald head,

beard, dark clothes, white objects

around his waist, matches that of a man

seen apparently shot by police at the

same location in verified video from the

scene of the attack. Now, we can't

confirm the identities of any of the

people in the video. This is still a

developing story, and at BBC Verify,

we'll continue piecing together what

happened.

Merlin Thomas there. Well, as we heard,

the prime minister is returning early

from a trip abroad in Copenhagen to uh

chair the government's emergency Cobra

meeting in London today. He says extra

police are going to be deployed at

synagogues across the country. Our

political correspondent Helen Kat has

more detail on the government response

to the attack. So, we know that uh Karma

was in Copenhagen, as you say, for a

meeting of the European political

community this morning. He was briefed

while he was still in the Danish

capital. He's uh gotten a plane since

given a statement to the press. is

coming back this afternoon to host a

COBRA meeting which is the government's

emergency committee. The membership of

that changes each time depending on what

sort of incident they are dealing with

but the prime minister will be chairing

it. Uh and he's also said that there are

going to be additional police assets um

sent to synagogues across the country to

to an attempt to sort of try and

reassure the Jewish community.

And we've seen a a very widespread

political response already. And and

Helen, this comes against a backdrop of

you rising tensions really here, but we

don't know. It's very important to say

we don't know who the suspect or the

attacker was or any motive.

We don't know. Those details are still

emerging. But as you say, we've had, as

you would expect, widespread criticism

from across the political spectrum.

statements from party leaders from Sir

Ed Davyy the Liberal Democrat leader

from Nigel Farage, the reform UK leader,

both of whom use the word horrified to

describe their reaction to the attack.

They both point to the timing of this,

it being on Yam Kapour. Uh and they both

send thoughts and prayers to the

families, the victims and and thoughts

to the emergency services and the Jewish

community. We've also heard from Kem

Benedon, the conservative leader this

morning. Now, she was actually in the

middle of doing a a round of local radio

interviews on BBC Local Radio when the

news broke. So, she said she hadn't

heard the full details, but she told BBC

Radio Bristol that it looked like an

outrageous attack on the Jewish

community. She thought it was vile and

disgusting. She also said as well,

saying that her heart goes out to the

people who've been hurt by this. She

said uh she needed the country needed to

make sure that the rising anti-semitism

we're seeing in our country is quelled

completely. And of course, K Starmmer

has has put out he was the first to to

put out a reaction to this, saying that

he too was was horrified and appalled by

what he later said was a shocking

attack. And how significant is it that

he is flying back to host this meeting

today? What sort of decisions might they

be taking? Presumably, they'll be

looking at any evidence that's coming in

about who was behind this attack. And

the prime minister saying extra police

deployed across the country at

synagogues

in Cobra meetings. The content of that

is always secret as you can you can

understand given the circumstances in

which they are called. Now we already

know that the police have declared uh

what this what's known as operation

plato that this is a major incident that

is a set of responses that the emergency

services have to large-scale incidents

including marauding terrorist attacks.

So we know that that has been declared.

Uh so we'll expect that that Cobra will

be hearing more detail. Obviously a lot

more of the detail that that is not

necessarily public at the moment uh

before looking into any any further

measures that might you'd expect they'd

be talking about perhaps further

measures that might need to be taken.

You would expect again the cast list of

this is never the as the Westminster

terminology is that the the attendance

list is never published for these

meetings and it changes each time

depending on the emergency but this is

the sort of of one where you would

expect for example the home secretary to

be in attendance and experts in in

security and presumably they'll be

wanting to be very very careful about

avoiding any speculation. Nobody wants

to see any tensions ramped up further in

response to what's happened here today.

This is obviously a situation that is

emerging um that is is ongoing and the

details are emerging bit by bit. So I

think at the moment yeah I think it'll

be very keen not to add to any sort of

speculation.

Helen Cat there our political

correspondent. I'm joined now by Lord

Warney former UK government adviser on

extremism. Thanks very much for being

with us. Just your your thoughts today

as we see the details of this attack

unfold.

It

it's horrendous. It's stomach

turnurning, but unfortunately it is

unsurprising

for so many members of the Jewish

community in Britain who have long

feared this day, who have had to spend

their whole lives living in in in fear

of anti-semitic attack in the in the

country. But that have had to experience

that threat being gravely ramped up

since the uh kamas ma massacres on the

7th of October and the explosion of

anti-semit of anti-semitism in the

country that has that has followed it.

So it it's it is incumbent upon uh our

political leaders now not only to show

solidarity with Jews across Britain

which is welcome and necessary but

frankly is expected

not only as well to look at the physical

parameters of how we can do our best to

keep Jewish people safe given the

multiplicity of ways in which a

determined attacker can uh seek to uh

harm others. But also to look at the

environment which has at times enabled

or turned a blind eye or sometimes

fueled the anti-semitism

um in which this attack occurred today

and uh do stay with us. is I just want

to let people know that the prime

minister has arrived back in the UK now

in the last few minutes in order to

chair a Cobra meeting. Uh Skir Sama was

in Denmark at a European summit in

Copenhagen when this attack happened.

But uh you can see Downing Street there.

We are we don't get obviously images of

what goes on within the Cobra meetings.

Those are confidential, but they do

gather key national security personnel,

the home secretary and uh the mayor of

Manchester also due to be at that Cobra

meeting. We're also due to be hearing

from counterterrorism police, we

understand, in about 30 minutes. So, all

of those updates we will bring you as

soon as we can. But Lord Warney,

you you talked about um a responsibility

to make people feel safe. Now, I just

wondered obviously we do not know the

motive for this attack today.

We don't know the the name of the

suspect or

or any of those details. We just have to

be careful on that front. But um I just

wondered is are there tangible moves

that you think government could do that

they are not?

Well, yeah, you're right, of course, to

say that we we don't yet know the the

identity of or the identity or the

precise motives, but this was um Jews um

uh killed outside a synagogue on Yam

Kapor. So I mean it is it is almost

certainly an appalling and targeted

anti-semitic attack and I think it is

justified to talk about it in in those

in those terms now and in in terms of

what more I think political leaders need

to do I think we have all got a

responsibility to ask ourselves actually

why is it that there is such a

disproportionate focus on the conflict

in Gaza compared to uh that there

unfortunately many several other

conflicts where there is a a a a grave

level of harm. Look what is happening in

Gaza has been horrendous. But the fact

that there are many times more

parliamentary questions asked about it

for example it re receives so much more

coverage uh than any other conflict in

the world. I think we have to ask why

that is and then also look at the many

ways in which Jews in Britain are

effectively held to account for a uh for

the world's only Jewish state, Israel,

which is perceived as uniquely evil. And

that has been a factor I think in

driving this culture that has is

normalizing

anti-semitism to the extent that you

talk to Jewish people in Britain. And so

many of them now say that they feel less

safe in Britain since the 7th of October

kamas attacks and the uh the wave of uh

pro Palestinian support on our streets.

uh since that and that they are despite

all of the problems that there are and

the the the the rocket attacks that were

still rain down on on Israel and the and

the killing um and uh terrorist attacks

within Israel.

They are many actively are considering

moving there or leaving the UK because

of the atmosphere in the UK. is a

terrible indictment on our country and

that is what I would like to see our

political leaders focusing on now.

You were of course MP John Woodcock um

you know part of the Labour Party.

What do what do you feel about where the

Labour Party is is now because obviously

many Jewish people left Labor Party

under Corbyn.

Yeah. some came back. Um, now K Star has

has has been very very strong on his

move against anti-semitism within the

party. It was it was his sort of key

mission, wasn't it?

Um, when he came into the leadership

position in opposition. Um but there's

also now his his speech this week was

always was all about division versus

unity and the divides that we're seeing

um across society from many quarters

with many communities feeling under

threat including Muslim communities. So

I just wondered what you know in in

practical terms again you know what the

difficulty of politics and the

difficulties for political leaders in a

very very polarized world right now.

Yeah. you know, how much really could

could be done practically?

I I do think more can be done to to

challenge this and I think that there

needs to be more political leadership.

I've just spent the the week in

Liverpool uh catching up with many old

friends and and many members of the

Jewish community, many members of Labor,

Friends of Israel, who feel under siege

in Britain and in frankly I'm af I'm

afraid to say within the Labor Party at

the moment. the um the move to recognize

Palestine was a body blow for many

British Jews coming as it did while the

conflict was still happening while

hostages were still are still being held

by the anti-semitic terror organization

and uh yes I mean I do this is a

let's charitably say that this is a

separate question but

yes exactly and I should just say that

we don't we know, you know, I don't want

to get into the record of the Labour

Party right now, but um also in terms of

No, no, I know I I did I did I did raise

that. You're quite right, but in in

terms of,

you know, practical measures that could

be could be put in place to sort of

bring the country together, which is I

think what what a lot of people want. Um

and also, we we don't know whether the

motive we don't know whether the motive

for this attack is rooted in the

conflict in the Middle East. We just

don't know that yet. So, that's why I'm

just being a little bit careful about

drawing those lines. Let let me say that

I think that let me just say in

conclusion that I think

uh there are I'm privileged to spend

time with um

um with faith leaders within the the the

Jewish and the Muslim communities um uh

imams and rabbis who have very bravely

been uh forging bonds despite fierce

criticism

uh from some within their own own ranks.

the the um what's called the the drum

lanwig accord and agreements for uh Jews

and Muslim leaders, religious leaders in

the UK to say look actually we can't

solve what is happening in the Middle

East but we can do more to say to our

own people and to reach across the

divide that actually we uh we should

have bonds of friendship between Jews

and Muslims and uh people of no religion

in the in the in the UK. Okay. So, I

think a a an increased proactive stance

in uh tackling all forms of intolerance,

no matter where that takes us, even if

that takes us to difficult conversations

within some communities and a commitment

to uh integration

rather than the the the kind of separate

living and people being communities

being out of the spotlight where I think

extremist ism can grow is a part of us

being able to heal this country and I

hope there is a redoubling of efforts on

that now.

Okay. Just finally if I may and just on

a personal note how how are you feeling

today because there's been a you know a

lot of people have said they they feared

such an attack would happen. It has

happened.

Yeah it has. And look I'm uh I'm an

Anglican. I'm I'm I'm I'm not Jewish but

my my heart is breaking for my Jewish

friends. They they have we walk around

in fear um on a daytoday level I'm

afraid to say far too many of them and

they have been braced for a mo the

moment like this to to come and every

time they will you see a confrontation

which is happening far far too often we

think much increased regularity you you

are bracing for something physical and

terrifying to happen. And that has

happened on the holiest day for Jewish

people on their day of reflection and uh

and atonement. It is heartbreaking. It

is tragic for the country. It is a

tragedy for the whole of the United

Kingdom. And we must come together now

to grieve with Jewish people, but then

also to plan with them how we can get to

a better place.

Uh John Wat Lord Wney Baron Wney, thanks

very much indeed for being with us

today. Thank you.

Thanks.

Now let's take a closer look at where

the attack in Manchester happened. This

is an aerial view of the scene and much

of it happened north of the city in

Crumpsell. We're just zooming in on

Middleton Road and the flat roofed brick

building surrounded by trees on three

sides is the Heaton Park Hebrew

Congregation Synagogue. The attack took

place outside the synagogue at around

9:30 this morning local time. Well,

Philip Norton reports now on how the

events of the past few hours have

unfolded.

The scene outside a Manchester synagogue

as a suspected attacker is confronted by

police.

[Music]

It's shortly after a car was driven at

and hit members of the public outside

Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation

Synagogue. A man was stabbed, another

believed to be the offender was shot by

police. The suspect is believed to have

died. Two members of the public caught

up in the attack are now confirmed dead.

Three others have been seriously

injured. But literally we was just

driving up the road just doing our

normal deliveries. Next minute we just

we was held back in a little bit of

traffic and we thought it was we could

see like a car had like crashed. So we

just thought it were a normal collision.

Anyway, as we got a bit closer we seen a

guy like bleeding out on the floor. He

was just basically unconscious on the

floor presumed obviously dead and then

he's literally there was a guy in front

of the car. He's just lay on the floor.

We couldn't really see him. And then

like there was a few people stood on the

road. Somebody shouted something. He's

in the school or the synagogue or what

what it was. And then as we looked over

the guy had a knife and he was just

stabbing the window trying to get in the

school and then within seconds the

police arrived. They give him a couple

of warnings. He didn't listen till they

opened fire. He went down on the floor

and then he started getting back up and

then they shot him again. The attack at

the synagogue comes on Yam Kapour, the

holiest day in the Jewish calendar when

many Jewish families will be attending a

synagogue. Police say a large number of

worshippers were inside the building at

the time.

The prime minister has cut short a trip

to Denmark, flying back to chair an

emergency government COBRA meeting. The

attack in Masha this morning is

absolutely shocking and all of our

thoughts are with those affected. I'm on

my way back to London. When I arrive, I

will chair an emergency Cobra meeting.

I'm already able to say that additional

police assets are being deployed to

synagogues across the country and we

will do everything to keep our Jewish

community safe. I've spoken to Mark

Gardner of the uh CST and Andy Burnham,

mayor of Manchester, and um I want to

thank the emergency services for the

speed of their response.

Andy Bernham, the mayor of Greater

Manchester, said the immediate danger

appeared to be over,

but there is a degree of reassurance uh

that can be given here that it has been

dealt with. It sounds as though very

effectively quickly uh by Greater

Manchester uh police. So, it would

appear that the immediate danger uh has

been averted, although um it's obviously

a developing situation. In this video,

which appears to be taken by a passer by

and authenticated by BBC Verify, two

armed officers can be seen pointing

weapons at a figure laying on the

ground. At one point, one of the

officers shouts to members of the public

nearby, he has a bomb, go away.

Seconds later, as the person being

watched attempts to stand up, a sharp

crack can be heard and the person falls

to the ground.

We can already build a timeline of

events that happened within the space of

10 minutes this morning. Greater

Manchester police say they were called

by a member of the public at 9:31 to the

synagogue on Middleton Road in Crumpsol.

The caller told them he'd seen a car

being driven towards members of the

public and one man had been stabbed.

Three minutes later, firearms officers

were deployed to the scene after further

reports from the public a security guard

had been attacked with a knife. At 9:38,

a man believed to be the offender was

shot by Greater Manchester Police

firearms officers. At 9:41, paramedics

arrived at the scene and began helping

those who'd been injured. Greater

Manchester Police declared a major

incident. An army bomb disposal unit is

at the scene. The king says he and the

queen are deeply shocked and saddened,

especially on such a significant day for

the Jewish community. Philip Norton, BBC

News.

Well, I'm joined now by Nigel Tobias,

who is a management board member of the

Jewish Representative Council. Thanks

for being with us today. Um, I gather

you've spoken to people who are members

of that synagogue in Manchester. I just

wonder what you've been hearing today.

Well, I go back many years with that

synagogue myself. I was vomited there. I

had been married there and my parents

are members and when my mom passed away,

we held the morning prayers for my mom.

So, I know the rabbi and the

congregation well. Um, I have spoken to

one or two people that were on their way

to the synagogue this morning and

everybody is completely shocked. um very

very upset and distressed thoughts very

much with the uh the victims, the

families and the guard that died

protecting Jews on the most important

day of the year.

Very sorry obviously to to hear of

what's happened to to members of your

own synagogue there. Um, we obviously

don't want to get into into naming

anyone who's been involved or hit in in

this, but um, do you know who who has

been injured, for example, and those who

who've lost their lives without wanting

to name them publicly at this stage?

No. No, I don't. I, as I say, my

thoughts are the victims and and the

security guard. Um, but I don't know the

names.

And do you have any information about

what actually happened in the attack? I

I have to say no more than what has been

on the um news stations at the moment.

Um I am myself on going to go to

synagogue this afternoon and I will be

on security duty at a different

synagogue. Um I I think the events are

just very very shocking. They are not uh

surprising, but they're very very

shocking. And I think the Jewish

community um is is very much um scared

at the moment at the way things are in

the UK for Jews.

Can you tell us a bit about um whether

the community there did feel under

threat and and what level of security

there was there?

Well, security is always raised around

the um sort of high holy days. Um and

you know most of the congregations work

with the community security trust. There

is usually um an external uh guard on

the synagogue and then there will be two

or three members of the congregation um

who will stand outside the main doors

and that is because on the sort of most

important days more people will come to

synagogue than a normal day. So the

security guard may not recognize the

faces and so you will have congregants

that will probably recognize the faces.

So there's a mix of um CST guard and the

congregation and and that's how it

normally works.

And and has there been a sense of of

increased fear recently?

Yes, for sure. Um, e emails have gone

out, WhatsApp groups have been uh

reminded um of their duties. Um, as I

say, there is, you know, um, in my

synagogue. I live in a different part of

Manchester now. I'm on security this

afternoon. There is a rotor for for an

hour. There will be two or three members

of the congregation and an external

guard. And we are up, you know, we are

reminded to be um, more on guard on days

such as this. But

and and just tell us about the

significance of today in the Jewish

calendar.

Today is the most important day in the

uh Jewish calendar. It's the uh festival

of Yam Kipur. Um Jews atone for their uh

sins. It's a 25-hour fast and it's a

very very solemn day, not least because

um last night in synagogue we were

reminded and said prayers for the

hostages and we are only 5 days away

from the second anniversary of what

happened um in Israel on the 7th of

October and the uh massacre that

occurred there, the Renova festival. So

it's a very very solemn time for all

Jews and you know we just pray in peace

and what's happened has shattered that

for the entire community.

And just very briefly how are you

feeling today

immeasurably upset.

Okay.

Um I you know I very grateful to the

police. Um and again my sympathies to

the to the guard and his family. I

myself am on security duty this

afternoon and nothing will stop me going

on security duty. It's a shame that it

has to be that way.

Nigel Tobias, very grateful to you for

your time today. Thank you very much

indeed and we are bringing you an update

uh of course here on the BBC and we know

that the principal protest of Wales have

also issued their condolences to those

affected. Well, we are expecting a

briefing from counterterrorism police

shortly. and Jameson sent this update.

Still a large emergency service

presence. You'll be able to hear the

helicopter overhead as well. Um, and

lots of people gathering round as well

to work out what on earth is going on.

An absolutely awful morning. Um, and one

that Manchester will look with shame

really because this isn't what

Manchester is about. As the bishop of

Manchester just said at 9:30 a.m. this

morning, Greater Manchester Police said

it received a call to say that it had

seen a vehicle driving to the Heaton

Park Hebrew Synagogue. Um, and we now

know that two people have been killed. A

third person was shot um who we believe

is the offender and the incident has

been contained. But this is Crumpsole,

an area in North Manchester which has um

many different diverse communities. I

spoke to a neighbor before who told me

that she lives next door to a seek

household. There's a Jewish family who

lives next door to them and a Muslim

family who lives across the road. And

guess what? They're all friends. And she

said that hatred of any kind is not

welcome here. As we just heard there

from the bishop in Manchester, many

people are unable to speak to us today

because it is the day of atonement.

However, um I have just received a

statement from the Muslim Jewish

Foundation, which is an organization

that does a lot in Greater Manchester to

try and integrate different communities.

Um and they say we're unable to speak

today, but it is hard to comprehend what

has happened. I have in fact visited the

Heaton Park Synagogue on three occasions

and I've known the rabbi for many years.

I hold the victims, their families, and

the synagogue congregation, and indeed

the wide Jewish community in my thoughts

today, sending my deepest condolences

and heartfelt sympathy. That is from the

leader of the Muslim Jewish Foundation

today. And we've also had a statement

from Manchester City Council leader Bev

Craig. Trumpol sits in the Manchester

area who says, "We are all horrified by

this shocking and re reprehensible

attack on members of Manchester's Jewish

community on their holiest day. Our

thoughts are with those who have been

killed. We will be working with Greater

Manchester Police, Greater Manchester

Combined Authority, and our local

communities in the hours ahead to offer

support and reassurance. Manchester

stands with our Jewish community at the

darkest of moments and will come

together as a city and lots of people

here in Manchester today um are just

really frightened about what's happened.

Some people from the Jewish community

said they were fearful that something

like this would happen on their

doorstep, but so close to the October

7th attacks. And on um Yin Kapoor, the

holiest day in the Jewish calendar,

makes it that much more painful.

[Music]

[Music]

Welcome to BBC News and the major

breaking news that two people have died

and three others are in a serious

condition after an attack on a synagogue

in Manchester. A man believed to be the

suspect was also shot dead by police.

Well, I want to start this hour by just

showing you video of the moment armed

police confronted the man.

[Music]

Everybody else get back. If you're not

involved, move back. Get away.

Everybody else has a ball. Go away.

Well, I also want to show you the first

image of the man seen through the fence

around the building. There are concerns.

You heard it there shouted in that video

clip about whether he had any sort of

device on him. The bomb disposal unit

have been at the scene. And there have

been several controlled explosions.

Police say one was to gain entry to the

suspect's vehicle.

[Music]

Well, you heard the explosion there.

We'll be live in Manchester with Ben

Brown in just a moment or two. But for

anyone just joining us here on BBC News,

I want to just take you through the key

planks of what has actually happened

today. Well, at 9:31 this morning,

police received reports of a car driving

towards people and a man holding a knife

outside the synagogue on Middleton Road

in Crumpsel. A large number of people

were worshiping. It is Yonkapur, which

is the holiest day in the Jewish

calendar. A major incident was declared

by Manchester police at 9:37.

Shots were fired by police 1 minute

later. Well, the prime minister Kama

says he is appalled and flew back early

from a summit in Denmark to chair an

emergency meeting. The opposition leader

Kimmy Badenok condemned it as vile and

disgusting. King Charles released a

statement saying he and Queen Camila are

deeply shocked and saddened about the

attack, especially on such a significant

day for the Jewish community. Just a

word, we are expecting a news conference

from anti-terror police this hour. We'll

go to that just as soon it starts. But

let's head to Manchester as promised to

Ben Brown, my colleague who is there for

us. And Ben, there must be a profound

sense of shock where you are.

There really is Matthew because this is

a very quiet, leafy area of Crumbs and

multicultural area of the city as well.

And this morning at around 9:30, uh

there was this attack, a car and knife

attack on the synagogue just down the

road from me here. Heat Park Synagogue.

Um, so the result of that, we now know

from Greater Manchester Police is that

two people have been killed. And let's

go to that uh let's just go to uh news

conference, I think, with assistant.

Philip Norton reports

the scene outside a Manchester synagogue

as a suspected attacker is confronted by

police.

It's shortly after a car was driven at

and hit members of the public outside

Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation

Synagogue. A man was stabbed, another

believed to be the offender was shot by

police. The suspect is believed to have

died. Two members of the public caught

up in the attack are now confirmed dead.

Three others have been seriously

injured. But literally we was just

driving up the road just doing our

normal deliveries. Next minute we just

we was held back in a little bit of

traffic and we thought it was we could

see like a car had like crashed. So we

just thought it were a normal collision.

Anyway, as we got a bit closer we seen a

guy like bleeding out on the floor. He

was just basically unconscious on the

floor presumed obviously dead and then

he's literally there was a guy in front

of the car. He's just lay on the floor.

We couldn't really see him. And then

like there was a few people stood on the

road. Somebody shouted something. He's

in the school or the synagogue or what

what it was. And then as we looked over

the guy had a knife and he was just

stabbing the window trying to get in the

school and then within seconds the

police arrived. They give him a couple

of warnings. He didn't listen till they

opened fire. He went down on the floor

and then he started getting back up and

then they shot him again. The attack at

the synagogue comes on Yam Kapour, the

holiest day in the Jewish calendar when

many Jewish families will be attending a

synagogue. Police say a large number of

worshippers were inside the building at

the time.

The prime minister has cut short a trip

to Denmark, flying back to chair an

emergency government COBRA meeting. The

attack in Masha this morning is

absolutely shocking and all of our

thoughts are with those affected. I'm on

my way back to London. When I arrive, I

will chair an emergency Cobra meeting.

I'm already able to say that additional

police assets are being deployed to

synagogues across the country and we

will do everything to keep our Jewish

community safe. I've spoken to Mark

Gardner of the uh CST and Andy Burnham,

mayor of Manchester. And um I want to

thank the emergency services for the

speed of their response because I think

Andy Bernham, the mayor of Greater

Manchester, said the immediate danger

appeared to be over.

Uh but there is a degree of reassurance

uh that can be given here that it has

been dealt with, it sounds as though

very effectively, quickly uh by Greater

Manchester uh police. So, it would

appear that the immediate danger uh has

been averted, although um it's obviously

a developing situation.

In this video, which appears to be taken

by a passer by and authenticated by BBC

Verify, two armed officers can be seen

pointing weapons at a figure laying on

the ground. At one point, one of the

officers shouts to members of the public

nearby, "He has a bomb. Go away."

Seconds later, as the person being

watched attempts to stand up, a sharp

crack can be heard and the person falls

to the ground.

We can already build a timeline of

events that happened within the space of

10 minutes this morning. Greater

Manchester Police say they were called

by a member of the public at 9:31 to the

synagogue on Middleton Road in

Crumpsell.

The caller told them he'd seen a car

being driven towards members of the

public and one man had been stabbed. 3

minutes later, firearms officers were

deployed to the scene after further

reports from the public a security guard

had been attacked with a knife. At 9:38,

a man believed to be the offender was

shot by Greater Manchester Police

firearms officers. At 9:41, paramedics

arrived at the scene and began helping

those who'd been injured. Greater

Manchester Police declared a major

incident. An army bomb disposal unit is

at the scene. The king says he and the

Queen are deeply shocked and saddened,

especially on such a significant day for

the Jewish community. Philip Norton, BBC

News.

Well, this is a very quiet, normally

area of Manchester. a very leafy

residential area as well and a

multicultural area of this city. So,

there's huge shock about what has

happened here uh this morning. And

there's been an a lot of activity by the

police and security forces. We've had an

SAS helicopter flying overhead. Um we've

also had the bomb disposal unit here

because there were reports that the

asalent who police shot dead had

explosives strapped to his body. Um, and

there have been some bangs heard in the

last couple of hours and reports that

police used explosives to gain entry to

the suspect's vehicle. Uh, let's get

more details about what has been

happening and what people here have been

saying with my colleague Danny Savage

who's been reporting here all morning

for BBC News. Danny, first of all, just

bring us up to date with the latest

developments.

So, we've had a raid on a property not

far from here in the last hour or so.

was unclear as to what uh exactly who

was arrested. A couple of arrests we

understand were made there. Is this

linked to the person who carried out

this attack? That question hasn't been

answered yet. We may get some more

details from Greater Manchester Police

in the next hour or so. So, there have

been raids taking place elsewhere. And I

think that's the thing to take on board

is that behind the scenes at the moment

there is a major police operation going

underway with the security services as

well. We've had that helicopter used by

special air service over overhead too.

So, there is a lot of work going on in

the background that we don't know about.

We did hear those bangs. There were

three bangs between, I would say, 12:45

and 1:45. Uh, but they were well apart

and there was speculation that they were

some sort of controlled explosions.

We've had a statement from the police

since then to say that those those um

bangs were to get inside the asalent

vehicle because remember, he carried out

this attack using a car. So, they will

be wanting to know where that car came

from, what else is in it, if anything,

and to make sure that it's safe. They

also want to make sure that he is safe.

We know that they shot him, but they

haven't been able to get really near to

him and we haven't had an update on that

since the shooting at half 9 this

morning because he appeared to have an

explosive device strapped to him. That's

from eyewitnesses and that's from what

police are saying as well that they had

he had apparatus strapped to him that

was causing them concern. They've got to

make sure that that scene is safe before

they go and work that out. So that's all

what's going on at the moment on top of

what was a a frightening, alarming,

horrifying 7 or 8 minutes just after 9

this morning when that attack took

place. Police were here very quickly.

One can only assume that there was an

armed response vehicle not too far away

at the time from Greater Manchester

Police. They were here very quickly.

We've seen the videos. They carried out

their job by the looks of it and then

told people to get away from the scene

because they were concerned about what

this man had strapped to them. and the

rest is it then goes eerily quiet as we

talked about a few minutes ago with this

scene where now that the helicopters

have gone it is very quiet around here

the lights are flashing but we don't see

many people around they're all around

the corner at the scene

and presumably Danny the police have to

absolutely make sure whether this was an

attacker who was acting alone or was

part of any wider group and that is why

we're seeing a lot of intensive police

activity

absolutely because also we had that

statement from the prime minister a

little earlier on today saying that um

They'd incre they were increasing as a

as a as a matter of caution. They were

increasing security at Jewish

establishments across the country today

in case there was any sort of

coordinated attack going on. That does

not appear to be the case because we've

had absolutely no reports of other

incidents. I've heard from other people

that were other synagogues because there

are there are you it is yonapig across

the across the Jewish world at the

moment and that is going on in

synagogues across the country and people

were told about an incident going on at

a synagogue in London were told about a

syn an incident going on at a synagogue

elsewhere and they were advised to stay

in the building and not venture outside

until it could be established that it

was safe. So an alert went out very

quickly to all the other synagogues

around the country that this was was was

ongoing at the moment and they do have

to be sure was this man working alone or

was he working with others and that's

what's going on behind the scenes at the

moment. That might be connected to those

other arrests nearby this afternoon. It

might not be. We don't know for sure.

But there's certainly intense activity

going on

and a hugely frightening experience for

people at the synagogue of course, but

also anyone else who lives around here

in these streets where we are now. Uh

what what have people been saying to

you?

It's interesting because because of the

religious observations of Yonkapur,

lots of the the Jewish the Orthodox

Jewish community here understandably are

are observing their their religious

beliefs and are not talking to people at

the moment because that's part of the of

the of this of this time. I talked to a

couple of them off camera uh and they

were saying that they they've been

expecting this. They've been worried

about this for some time that something

would happen a Jewish center, a

synagogue, a school somewhere in the UK

because of the rising tensions that have

been going on for the last couple of

years and they've been fearful that

something like this would happen.

Whether they expected this to happen on

their doorstep or that's another matter.

They of course are deeply upset and

shocked. They've lost uh two members of

their community. Three more members of

their community are seriously injured.

This is this is a terribly shocking

incident for them in what is it is is

clearly

a very uh obviously Orthodox Jewish area

at the moment. And whenever you drive

through here, you can tell it's that and

this was a very soft target as a result.

So they are not surprised by what's

happened, but they are very shocked by

it.

Yeah, a soft target. Although it the

synagogue did have some security and as

you said the armed police were here very

very quickly within a just a few minutes

of the emergency call being made. So

actually two dead and three seriously

wounded is you know it could have

actually been worse in terms of the

casualty

figures. It could have been. And the

fact that the reaction was so quick.

9:31 that first 999 call. 9:37 a major

incident declared and 938's first shots

fired. That was really that's really

quick, isn't it? And you know, within

within a short period of time. Um, yeah.

I mean, I think I I knew, you know, as a

journalist that you know that all Jewish

community centers, schools, synagogues,

they have a security presence nowadays

and they have had done for years. And

did that work this morning? It would

appear that it did. you know that

somebody drove a car in at the crowd.

People were of course injured because,

you know, that was something with a with

a car being driven at a number of

people. Um, somebody was stabbed.

There's some suggestion that there was a

one of the security guards was stabbed,

but there is clear security presence

there and there's a clear security

presence again around here today. You

can see the members of that security

group still doing their jobs here this

afternoon.

Danny, good to talk to you. Thank you

very much indeed for that update. That's

Danny Savage, our correspondent, who's

been following events as they've

unfolded uh here from this morning.

Let's also talk to Harry Farley, our

political correspondent who's at

Westminster. Because Harry, we've got

this meeting this afternoon of the

government's emergency committee, Cobra.

The prime minister has flown back from

Copenhagen early. He was at a meeting of

political leaders there. He's flown back

early. We gather the home secretary,

mayor of Manchester, and others at that

meeting.

That's right. The prime minister touched

down back in the UK in the last hour and

as you say he will chair that meeting uh

that COBRA meeting uh shortly this

afternoon. Uh the fact that that meeting

Cobra meetings happen to sort of

coordinate the government's response to

a significant incident. They happen uh

fairly regularly, but it is not normal

for the prime minister himself to chair

that. And as you say, the home secretary

Shabban Mammud, the mayor of Manchester,

Andy Bernham, and senior police officers

will attend that. And I think that gives

you a sense of how seriously the

government uh is taking this, the level

of response uh that they are issuing.

The prime minister said uh this morning

that additional police officers have

been deployed to synagogues across the

country and there has been reaction uh

with uh from across the political

spectrum uh and really reaction with

horror to what happened uh at the

synagogue in Manchester this morning and

particularly uh several party leaders

noting uh that it happened on the

holiest day of the Jewish calendar. Yong

Kur ke Benox describing it as a vile and

disgusting attack. The Liberal Democrat

leader, Sir Ed Davyy, said he was

horrified and appalled and reforms

leader Nigel Farage saying that his

thoughts and prayers are with the

families of all those affected.

And yeah, so Harry at that Cobra meeting

this afternoon, I suppose they have to

work out, you know, get information from

the police and the security services

about to what extent this was an attack

by one man acting alone. as I was just

discussing with Danny Savage there or

possibly part of any wider plot or

conspiracy. Um and and they'll want to

know that in terms of stepping up

security as they've already said they're

done they're doing and the prime

minister's already indicated this

stepping up security at Jewish

establishment schools and synagogues and

so on around the country.

Yes, exactly. The the the purpose of a

COBRA meeting is to coordinate across

the different areas of government their

response as you say to hear from senior

police officers who will be there,

security services, uh ministers, local

political leaders uh to try and

coordinate all those different branches

of government uh to to marshall their

response. And as I said, you know, it is

not normal for the prime minister

himself to chair that. That shows, I

suppose, the severity uh of this attack

and just how seriously uh the government

is taking it. We we may well hear from

the prime minister later on to s to give

an update following that COBRA meeting.

But as you as I say that the purpose of

it really to coordinate those different

wings of government to try and marshall

a response and and as Danny was

reflecting earlier this is something

that many in the Jewish community have

feared happening. They have watched uh

with horror the rising uh

prevalence of anti-semitic incidents and

attacks and had been expecting and

fearing this. Many uh synagogues have

some form of security. there is a

government grants for uh protection for

security for places of worship but

nevertheless they are seen as a soft

target and there was growing fear in in

many parts of the Jewish community that

this was uh this was inevitable

okay let's go to that press conference

the head of counterterrorism policing in

the UK

this morning an appalling attack took

place in Grumps in Manchester

Two people have died.

The attacker has been shot dead by the

police. We believe we know their

identity, but for safety reasons at the

scene, we're unable to confirm at this

stage.

Three other members of the public are in

a serious condition.

We have also made two further arrests

and based on what we know,

counterterrorism policing has declared

this as a terrorist incident.

Our specialist teams are now leading the

investigation into what happened at

Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation

Synagogue and working closely with

Greater Manchester Police. As we do

this, those who have been killed and

injured at the at the forefront of our

minds, as are their families, friends,

and all of those who love them.

An attack on our Jewish community today

on Yam Kapur is devastating.

Communities across the UK would normally

be marking this holy day and now

grieving and worried about their safety.

And I want to be clear, UK policing is

mobilizing and it's mobilizing fast.

Police forces are stepping up patrols

across the country at synagogues and

Jewish sites and more widely to provide

reassurance to all those communities who

have been affected by this incident.

At counterterrorism police, we're

deploying all of our capabilities in

response to what has happened.

And we have resources from across our

network involved.

We will ensure every piece of

intelligence and line of inquiry is

interrogated.

We're working closely with the security

services to ensure we have a full

intelligence picture in the coming days

and weeks

following events in Crumpsol today. I'd

also like to ask the public to remain

vigilant. Please report anything that

doesn't feel right to the police and be

alert to what is happening in your own

communities. Thank you.

Stand by.

I'm not sure.

Yeah. Well, that was that was assistant

commissioner Lawrence Taylor from the

Metropolitan Police, the anti-terrorism

unit, just spelling out a statement,

what we know so far, saying that two

people had died and three people had

been seriously injured, calling it an

appalling attack. Um and also that there

had been a couple of arrests. We don't

have much more information about those

arrests, on what possible grounds those

arrests have been made. Um but also that

this has confirming this has been

declared as a terrorist incident. Uh one

of the unmarked police vehicles there

just reversing

reversing away from the scene um behind

me. but also saying and making it very

clear that uh police around the UK are

stepping up their security at uh Jewish

schools, synagogues, other Jewish sites

around the country. Uh he said that UK

policing is mobilizing and mobilizing

fast and he also urged the public to uh

to report anything that they think is

suspicious and to remain very vigilant

in the wake of this attack in Crumpsell

here in Manchester. Let's go back to our

correspondent Danny Savage who was

listening to the assistant Commissioner

Lawrence Taylor and who's been here all

day in the wake of this attack which was

around 9:30 this morning. Um and Danny

just the police underlining there that

very much they want people to be

vigilant after what happened here and

they are stepping up security around the

country.

I think what you had there is

confirmation of what we suspected but we

just you backed up by the authorities

really. the attacker was shot dead by

the police. Well, we we we assumed that

anyway. Believe they know his identity.

You would expect the security services

to be onto that straight away um by

whatever documents he may or may not

have had on him and also um by, you

know, his physical appearance and

everything else that they can do behind

the scenes to to get a match through

that way. Made two further arrests. We

were talking a little while ago about a

street not too far away from here where

uh several police cars turned up and

carried out an arrest and took two

people away. We were aware of that but

we wasn't you know 100% that it was

connected. The um the news conference

just now said that it was and also

declared as a terrorist incident. Again

we expected that but this is like

confirmation that the way that these

things are escalated and are therefore

then handled going forward that this is

a you know a terrorist incident and has

been treated as such. So yeah, I mean

you know the the incident happens, it

expands, you know, like a like a sort of

ripple across the country as to what the

consequences of it are and the

consequences are that you know there's

always a concern after something like

this that something similar maybe

happened somebody else may be inspired

to do something similar and so you quite

quite expectedly uh you know security

has been stepped up as a result of that

and Danny you got here quite soon after

this attack and just talk us through

because we were getting reports from the

police initially that four people had

been injured and also that the suspected

offender had been shot, possibly shot

dead. And then a little bit later, near

a lunchtime, it became more grave,

didn't it? And we got the news from

Greater Manchester Police that two of

the victims had been killed and there

were three seriously injured.

When there's an incident where somebody

uses a car as a weapon, it can go either

way. You know, remember we had that

incident in Liverpool. This is totally

unrelated, but because it was a car was

used uh in Liverpool, somebody drove

through some CR, nobody actually died

from that, even though lots of people

were struck by a car. And you know, that

was kind of the hope this morning that

okay, a vehicle's been driven at a

number of people, hopefully they haven't

been killed. And you know, as the

morning went on and the first initial um

sort of comments from the Greater

Manchester Police were that there was

four people injured and one person shot,

you kind of come come to this conclusion

that, you know, with police use lethal

force when they carry out shootings, so

you expect the person they shot to be

dead, you hope that the four people

aren't just injured. Then we had that

update shortly after midday that

actually two people had been killed and

then um we then had sort of three people

seriously injured as well on on on top

of that. So yeah, it's taken a more

grave turn as the day goes on. Um it was

obviously known such a thing. You know,

the authorities know all of this before

they tell us. So they probably known for

some time. Hence why the prime minister

perhaps is coming back early from his

from from Scandinavia from his visit to

chair the Cobra meeting and that kind of

thing. So this is a very very serious

incident. Thankfully we don't get them

very often in the UK. Um but this is

another one to add to that very sorry

sad list of terrorist incidents that

we've had to deal with over the years.

And when we look through the video of

what happened, there was quite a lot of

video footage that emerged. Um, you

could see people or hear people shouting

about the attacker, you know, he's got a

bomb and and that adding to the sense of

panic and fear and then in the wake of

that, we had the bomb disposal unit

coming in.

Yeah. I mean, so the videos that people

took at the time because you can't do

anything in the world today without

somebody picking up a camera phone and

start filming it. And that's exactly

what we've had here this morning with

the police with there's a video on our

news on the front page of our news

website at the moment showing a man

obviously lying on the ground who's been

shot by officers and police officers

shouting shouting at shouting at people

to get out the way and get back. Those

officers have clearly seen that this man

had things that look very suspicious

strapped around his waist as you can see

from the pictures that we have on the

website. That has to be a huge concern

because that could could we still don't

know that could be a live device.

All right, Danny for the moment. Thank

you very much once again. That's Danny

Savage, our correspondent uh here in

Manchester. Just to recap a couple of

the lines then from that news conference

uh that they have made the police saying

a couple of arrests and that they do

believe now that they have the identity,

they know the identity of the asalant

who was shot dead by armed police very

shortly after the alarm was raised. Back

to you now in the studio, Matthew.

Ben, thanks very much. We'll be back to

Ben very shortly. Let me tell you, we

are expecting a news conference or at

least a statement from Greater

Manchester Police. That is pretty

imminent. Uh the scene already set up.

There are all the microphones. As soon

as that starts, we will also carry that

live. Let me bring you just another

couple of lines whilst we were with Ben

that have come in. First from the EU

that have put out a statement saying

there's no place for anti-semitism after

the UK synagogue attack. And a statement

too from the UN secretary general

strongly condemning today's attack

saying houses of worship are sacred

places where people can go to find peace

targeting synagogue on Yonipore the

holiest day in the Jewish calendar is

particularly heenous and ends by saying

he is deeply concerned by the alarming

rise in anti-semitism worldwide and

stresses the urgent need to confront

hatred and intolerance in all their

forms. So that a statement just put out

by the UN Secretary General Antonio

Gutierrez. Well, let's speak live on the

program to Jake Wallace Simon who's a

columnist with the Daily Telegraph and

author of a new book, Never Again: How

the West Betrayed the Jews and Itself.

And thank you so much for being here

with us. Your reaction first of all on a

day like today.

Well, it's certainly not how I plan to

spend my Yamapour and the same can be

said for Jews up and down the country

who are living in fear this afternoon.

Uh this is something that a lot of

people feared was going to happen as a

result of the widespread anti-semitic

incitement taking place uh from uh

instigated by Hamas uh through

misinformation through the UN, through

much of the media and then coming onto

our streets in constant demonstrations

against Israel and against Jews. Jews

have been living in a very isolated way

for a long time, being forced to look

over their shoulders, sometimes to

remove symbols of Judaism from their

doorposts, from their school uniforms

and so on to avoid this kind of attack.

Uh but as the walls have been closing in

over the last couple of years with this

tsunami of Israelophobia and

anti-semitism, there's been a sense of

inevitability that sooner or later

something will get through. And

tragically, that happened this morning

on the holiest day of the Jewish year.

Tell me more about the fear amongst the

Jewish community because I've got some

of the the figures in terms of

anti-semitic attacks and anti-Jewish

hate incidents over 2023 and 2024 and

certainly uh they were at the height

last year but still even this year the

first six months uh really at an

elevated level.

That's right. I mean for many Jews feel

that these incidents don't come from

nowhere. They come from a climate of

hatred for Israel and of anti-semitism,

which as I say is coming from social

media primarily, but also legacy media

and politicians. A lot of the people

making statements of consolation today

are the very people who pared

anti-semitic lies. I'll give you one uh

one example of something that happened

uh in May just as a as a as a case

study. Um a UN chief Tom Fletcher went

on the Today program and said that

14,000 babies were about to die in Gaza

within the next 48 hours. That was a

claim that was parited by MPs. 13 MPs

repeated that in parliament. Of course,

those babies didn't die because they

weren't in danger of dying in the first

place. And those people

are lamenting today that about and

sending their condolences to the Jewish

community. So, Jews look at this stuff

and they think, you know what, we just

feel unwanted and unsafe at the same

time. And security at synagogues is at a

maximum at the moment. Jews uniquely uh

need heavyduty security to go to pray,

to go to their schools, to go about

their business in the community. That's

how I grew up in the 90s and now it's

even worse than that. And since October

the 7th, it's only got worse.

I'll come back to that final thought in

a moment, but you talked there about Tom

Fletcher and it's worth just telling our

audience he has accepted that he made a

mistake with that figure and explained

what he was actually trying to say. But

I understand the point that you were

trying to make there in terms of

security around synagogues. Do you

welcome what you heard both from

anti-terror police just in the last 10

minutes or so and from the prime

minister earlier talking about upping

the levels of security, visible

security.

Absolutely. I think that I mean in a way

uh you know this is slightly closing the

door after the horse has bolted but we

do welcome of course the uh increase in

security presence. I think a lot of

people don't realize how Jews live in

Britain. There aren't very many Jews,

you know, to to 250,000 there or

thereabouts. A very small, less than a

percentage of of the overall population.

And a lot of the time they live with a

lot of security around schools, as I

say, around schools, around synagogues,

um almost airport style security in some

cases. Um there's a Jewish organization

called the Community Security Trust,

which is a charity which takes care of

Jewish security. It receives government

funding. It works handin glove with the

police. When I was editor of the Jewish

Chronicle a couple of years ago, I went

to see their operations room. It's very

impressive. Has all the latest modern

surveillance technology and so on that

you would hope for and expect. So,

there's a lot of uh security already

protecting Jews, but clearly you can't

pick up every single attacker. We're in

in an environment now where more than

40,000 people are being watched for

potential uh terrorist attacks. Uh this

is an unsustainable amount for the

security services to keep track of. And

sooner or later, one person will get

through. It does seem like today this

man got through with with devastating

and tragic results. But it's certain

that while these people come for the

Jews first, their real animus is against

democracy against the West. I mean, I'm

speculating about this guy's motivation.

We don't know that. I should make that

clear.

But it's certain that uh that the people

who hate the Jews the most are also the

ones who hate Britain and the West the

most. It's worth reflecting on that, I

think, today.

Yes. And worth underlining exactly what

you said. We still do not know anything

about the motive. We heard there from

the anti-terror police the sorts of

investigations that they are currently

carrying out. You you described how many

in the Jewish communities are living.

It's worth pointing out in Manchester

there are about 30,000 Jewish people in

that community and we've heard through

the course of the last few hours in many

respects it is quite multicultural in

terms of that particular area.

That's right. I mean, look, you know, a

lot of everyday Jews and Muslims rub

along fine, get along, okay? Ordinary

people just want to live a peaceful

life. But the problem is that there is a

presence of extremism on our shores

here. Uh there's the Muslim Brotherhood,

which is the worldwide repository or

source of a lot of jihadist thought and

jihadist movements over the years, has a

presence, a strong presence in Britain.

In fact, Nigel Farage announced just

recently that he was seeking to ban that

organization from Britain if he were to

become prime minister. And it's

extremist groups like that, like the

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which

again is not banned from Britain, and

others, which have a very sinister

presence in Britain undercover, but also

committing acts of violence when they

want when they feel they would like to.

And again, I'm not say I don't want to

preempt the results of this

investigation or say that this man is

member of a member of any of those

groups, but Jews are aware that these

groups threaten their safety, wish to

see them dead as the first victims of

the West, and are active here in this

country. It's a very lonely place to be

indeed. And my mother, who is an

Orthodox Jew, living in an Orthodox

Jewish community, a lot of her friends

have moved to Israel already because,

ironically enough to most people, they

feel safer in Israel than they do in

Britain. And that says some very bad

things about life in Britain today, I'm

afraid.

Well, Jake, well, Simon, we have to

leave it there, but thank you for

joining us here on BBC News. Thanks for

your time. Just a reminder, we are

waiting for a news conference from

Greater Manchester Police. An update

from those detectives that have been

dealing with the incident since just

after 9:30 this morning. We were seeing

a little earlier the chronology of

events and the police certainly getting

to the synagogue in incredibly quick

time with the shots being fired within

10 minutes. And I was sure we were

showing the video of that moment only a

short while ago. But we have heard just

in the last few minutes that update from

New Scotland Yard. So if you're just

joining us, it's worth reminding what

the head of counterterrorism policing

has just said

this morning. An appalling attack took

place in Grumps in Manchester.

Two people have died.

The attacker has been shot dead by the

police.

We believe we know their identity, but

for safety reasons at the scene, we're

unable to confirm at this stage.

Three other members of the public are in

a serious condition.

We have also made two further arrests

and based on what we know,

counterterrorism policing has declared

this as a terrorist incident. Our

specialist teams are now leading the

investigation into what happened at

Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation

Synagogue and working closely with

Greater Manchester Police. As we do

this, those who have been killed and

injured at the forefront of our minds,

as are their families, friends, and all

of those who love them.

An attack on our Jewish community today

on Yam Kapur is devastating.

Communities across the UK would normally

be marking this holy day are now

grieving and worried about their safety.

And I want to be clear, UK policing is

mobilizing. And it's mobilizing fast.

Police forces are stepping up patrols

across the country at synagogues and

Jewish sites and more widely to provide

reassurance to all those communities who

have been affected by this incident.

At Counterterrorism Police, we're

deploying all of our capabilities in

response to what has happened

and we have resources from across our

network involved.

We will ensure every piece of

intelligence and line of inquiry is

interrogated.

We're working closely with the security

services to ensure we have a full

intelligence picture in the coming days

and weeks.

Following events in Crumpsol today, I'd

also like to ask the public to remain

vigilant. Please report anything that

doesn't feel right to the police and be

alert to what is happening in your own

communities. Thank you. Well, that was

assistant commissioner Lawrence Taylor.

Well, that message about vigilance and

what is happening around synagogues and

security, that was also echoed by the

mayor of London, who also condemned the

attack, saying security will be scaled

up right across the capital.

At this time of year when uh Jewish

people across the world are

commemorating Yom Kip, it's incredibly

worrying. We've seen this awful attack

on a synagogue in Manchester. I've been

in contact with uh the mayor of

Manchester, Andy Bernham, with the hump

secretary and with the uh uh police uh

the police service will be stepping up

high visibly policing in and around

synagogues in uh London. I know as it is

uh Jewish people have been scared uh and

feeling scared over the last few months

indeed since October the 7th, 2020 at 3.

I also know many want to go to the

synagogue and uh worship. I want to

reassure them uh that in London they

will be seeing additional uh police

officers. People should be allowed uh to

go about and practice their faith

knowing they're going to be uh safe.

Unfortunately, too many Jewish uh

Londoners, Jewish people across the

country, Jewish people across the globe

don't feel that way and that's

heartbreaking.

Well, that was City Khan talking a

little earlier. Let's go back to

Manchester and back to Ben Brown. And

Ben, as we were hearing there from the

anti-terror police, uh a huge amount of

focus to try now to find out everything

they can about the perpetrator here.

Yeah, indeed, Matthew. They want to find

out as much as they can. They say they

already know uh his identity. But the

key question obviously is whether he was

working alone in this attack uh acting

alone or whether he had other

accompllices, other people he was

working with, planning and so on. That

is the key information they'll be

looking for. Uh as we've been

reflecting, there have been a couple of

arrests at a nearby address and huge

amount of police activity. I should also

say this is a a very uh quiet

residential area of Man Manchester

Crumpsil, but it's also a multiffaith

area. And we've had a statement just

coming into us from the local Crumpsell

counselors. Um and they have said that

today Yam Kapour, the holiest day in the

Jewish calendar, should have been a

special time for our Jewish communities.

Uh instead, Crumpsell has been shocked

by the horrifying and senseless attack

on a place of worship, an act we condemn

in the strongest possible terms, our

thoughts and prayers with the victims

and their families along with the entire

Jewish community in Manchester and

further a field. A lot of Jewish people

do live in this area. uh but so do a lot

of people from other faiths as well and

they have been absolutely shocked and

horrified what has happened here at the

synagogue just behind me down the road

there at around 9:30 this morning. Uh

let's go back to our correspondent Danny

Savage who's been following events here

uh all through the day. Um Danny, we got

some new information, didn't we, in that

statement from the counterterrorism

police in London. Yes, they did their

details in the last few minutes about

what had actually happened and you know

about the the bigger picture if you like

of of what what was happening here. I

didn't catch every word of it Ben, but

yes, there was that was the it's

interesting, isn't it, that you would

think that um the initial news

conference would come from the Greater

Manchester Police here in Manchester and

we are going to hear from them shortly

here in the next few minutes, but it's

um counterterrorism in London that took

the lead on it. the initial statement

from them confirming basically about

what what we know or or what we

suspected that you know they know the

identity of the person they've made

further arrest they have declared it as

a terrorist incident I think from the

community's point of view here though

there are lots of people who believe

that this has stemmed from the ongoing

discourse about the situation uh in

Israel and Gaza at the moment and they

the Jewish community here feel as though

that at the very least they've been at

the receiving the end of of verbal hate

in the last couple of years since the

October 7th attack uh that took place.

And so what we had there is is is

they've been suspecting and worried that

this was going to happen sooner or

later. And this has happened here and

they are not surprised by it. Uh as some

of them are quite angry and dismayed by

what's happened because they felt that

perhaps more should be done for security

and that kind of thing for for Jewish

establishments around the country. We

know that word spread very quickly once

the incident happened here. I've heard

from somebody that was in a synagogue in

northwest London today who was told just

a few minutes after the attack happened

here that there had been an incident at

another synagogue and they want and they

were being advised to stay in the

synagogue and not to go outside until

they know it was safe. So there is great

disqu here and I think that the message

that you're going to start seeing from

different different things and we get at

a very local level there from the

counselors is is is is a message of

unity to stop anything like this boiling

over elsewhere and any repeat or copycat

incidents happening at in the UK or

across Europe across Europe or even

further a field. You know, this is

making international headlines what's

happened in this street in Manchester

today and people will be watching and

there will be concerns that something,

you know, people may be inspired to to

that to hap something similar to happen

again.

Uh let's just talk about the police

response to what happened here this

morning because the police often get

criticized. We've had the criticism of

the some of those metropolitan police

officers in the last 24 hours, but the

response time was extraordinary here

this morning. the I think the first call

went into the emergency services at 9:31

and within just well well within 10

minutes they had shot dead they had

arrived here we can see one of the

unmarked cars just behind us there with

flashing lights but they had responded

and shot dead the attacker

yeah the juosition on five live as I was

driving over here this morning listening

to people's comments in the radio and

the latest updates on this because they

were talking initially about that

panorama program last night about the

you know the appalling behavior of

number of metropolitan police and then

of course you then having police people

then praising the police outright for

their very swift response here. First

call 9:31, major incident declared at

9:37, first shots done at 9:38. In 7

minutes since the first call, you could

only assume that there was an armed

response vehicle not very far away at

all this morning that got here very

quickly, assessed the situation, and

took action. We've seen the pictures and

the video of those armed officers

actually sort of uh uh telling people to

get out the way having already shot the

individual involved uh and and and

carried out their job and then they were

trying to clear the incident. And so

yeah, they were here quick and I think

they should rightly get praised for

their very swift response. Danny, thank

you very much once again. We may be

hearing more details about that man

Greater Manchester Police response from

the chief constipal who's going to be

talking uh at a news conference very

shortly. But for the moment, I'm going

to hand you back to Matthew in the

studio.

Ben, thanks very much. We'll return to

you uh just as soon as that news

conference starts. Worth saying as we

were listening there to Ben and Danny,

we saw pictures or I could see the

pictures of the prime minister just

walking in to the door at number 10. We

of course saw him return from Copenhagen

early from the summit there. He was then

of course going straight into an

emergency Cobra meeting. Well, he's now

back inside Downing Street. So, we'll

have more on the politics of what we're

seeing. We'll have that news conference

just as it starts in Manchester in the

next little while, but we're going to

take a short break first of all around

the world and across the UK. You're

watching BBC News.

For anyone just joining us here on BBC

News, I want to just take you through

the key planks of what has actually

happened today. Well, at 9:31 this

morning, police received reports of a

car driving towards people and a man

holding a knife outside the synagogue on

Middleton Road in Crumpsel. A large

number of people were worshiping. It is

Yonkapur, which is the holiest day in

the Jewish calendar. A major incident

was declared by Manchester police at

9:37.

Shots were fired by police 1 minute

later. Well, the prime minister Kama

says he is appalled and flew back early

from a summit in Denmark to chair an

emergency meeting. The opposition leader

Kimmy Badenok condemned it as vile and

disgusting. King Charles released a

statement saying he and Queen Camila are

deeply shocked and saddened about the

attack, especially on such a significant

day for the Jewish community.

this morning.

Welcome back to BBC News. Let's return

to Downing Street because I was telling

you just a short while ago that Karma

has arrived back there. Of course, he

started the day in Copenhagen and then

returned to chair a Cobra meeting, that

emergency meeting after the terrible

events in Manchester at the start of the

day. So these the pictures from only a

few minutes ago about 5 minutes ago of

Karma arriving there back at number 10.

And of course so many issues to focus on

after today's dreadful attack. He said

there in Copenhagen that security would

be enhanced around synagogues around the

UK. And we heard that message both from

Sadique Khn talking about the situation

in London and also in that statement

from anti-terror police at New Scotland

Yard about 30 minutes ago. So Karma back

in Down Street. I mentioned there that

he was in Copenhagen earlier for a

summit. He was talking to journalists

about this morning's attack before he

set off back to the UK. Let's hear a

little of what he said.

The attack in Masha this morning is

absolutely shocking and all of our

thoughts are with those affected. I'm on

my way back to London. When I arrive, I

will chair an emergency Cobra meeting.

I'm already able to say that additional

police assets are being deployed to

synagogues across the country and we

will do everything to keep our Jewish

community safe. I've spoken to Mark

Gardner of the uh CST and Andy Bham,

mayor of Manchester. And um I want to

thank the emergency services for the

speed of their response.

Well, that was the prime minister. Uh

let me return to some of the pictures

from earlier, the prime minister talking

about the speed of the response and

Danny Savage also talking about that to

Ben. And they are absolutely right

because 9:31 was the first call from the

public about someone with a vehicle with

a knife there at the synagogue. And

within inside 10 minutes, shots have

been fired by armed police because of

those reports and also a serious

incident had already been declared just

a minute before by Greater Manchester

Police. Uh we're not that far away. I

can see out of the corner of my eye the

feed of pictures coming to us for that

news conference. Uh the journalists just

gathered around the microphone, so I

don't think we're that far from the news

conference starts, but it just gives us

a chance to squeeze in some analysis of

the mountain of video footage that has

been on social media. Merlin Thomas from

BBC Verify has been looking at some of

it for us.

This is a developing story and we're

still piecing together the details as

they're emerging of the attack at Heaton

Park Synagogue in Manchester. Now, we've

been investigating a video that's

circulating on social media from the

scene of the attack, which appears to

show the moment police opened fire on a

suspect at the synagogue. In the video,

we verified we can see two armed police

officers, both with their weapons raised

and pointing at someone lying on the

ground. And then as the camera pans, we

can see a man lying on the ground just

outside the grounds of the synagogue

wearing a kipper, a Jewish cap. We can

see him lying in a pool of blood. Now,

one of the officers then approaches the

fence where a small group of people had

gathered. And the officer then shouts

loudly, "Everybody else, he has a bomb.

Go away." Seconds later, the figure that

was being watched by police attempts to

stand up. Sharp cracks ring out and the

man falls to the ground. Now, there are

a few people standing by watching in a

panic as the police attend to the scene

and others hurry away. We've also

verified a still image circulating

online showing a man believed to be a

suspect at the synagogue wearing three

white objects around his waist. Now, the

individual's appearance, bald head,

beard, dark clothes, white objects

around his waist, matches that of a man

seen apparently shot by police at the

same location in verified video from the

scene of the attack. Now, we can't

confirm the identities of any of the

people in the video. This is still a

developing story, and at BBC Verify,

we'll continue piecing together what

happened.

Well, that was Merlin Thomas. Let's

return to some of the political reaction

we've been getting. I was mentioning

only a short while ago, the EU reacting,

the UN secretary general reacting,

describing the attack as heinenous.

Let's hear a little of the reaction from

Graeme Stringer, who's the local Labour

MP whose constituency of Blackley and

Middleton South contains the Heaton Park

Synagogue.

I have been the local MP

uh for that synagogue for a long time. I

have lived within a stones throw of it.

much of my adult life. I been into the

synagogue for hustings during general

elections for services to talk to people

about contemporary situations. So I I

know many of the people who attend that

uh synagogue by first name. So I I mean

I would be upset uh to an attack like

that anywhere in Manchester or anywhere

in the country indeed. But I'm I'm

particularly

uh upset because I I I know it so well.

Well, that was Graham Stringer talking

to us a little while ago. Let's head

back to Manchester because uh we are

about to have that news conference. Uh I

will put onto the screen some of the

latest pictures and the news conference

is just getting underway that we've been

talking about. So let's put the

microphone

premature to set out this detail at this

juncture.

In addition, I can confirm that two

other individuals have been arrested in

connection with this incident and urgent

inquiries are ongoing.

We can confirm that two members of our

Jewish community have sadly died as a

result of this attack.

Following a rapid response, armed

officers from Greater Manchester Police

intercepted the offender and he was

fatally shot by officers within 7

minutes of the original call.

Four further people remain in hospital

having suffered a variety of serious

injuries and their treatment is ongoing

and our thoughts are with them and their

families.

Inquiries are moving at pace and very

visible and across Greater Manchester

and beyond.

Updates will be provided as soon as is

practicable. Our priority is to keep the

public safe.

At this time, we know that a car was

driven directly at members of the public

outside the Heaton Park Hebrew

Congregation Synagogue on Middleton

Road, Crumbsell in Manchester.

The driver of the car was seen then to

attack people with a knife. He was

wearing about his body a vest which had

the appearance of an explosive device.

There were a large number of worshippers

attending the synagogue at the time of

this attack. But thanks to the immediate

bravery of security staff and the

worshippers inside

as well as the fast response of the

police,

the attacker was prevented from gaining

access.

All those inside were safely contained

until police were able to confirm that

it was safe to leave the premises.

Yam Kapour is a day where we see our

Jewish community attending their places

of worship, places where they and their

families should feel entirely safe from

harm.

I want to share my gratitude to all of

those members of the public who called

the police as soon as they saw what was

happening.

This allowed the quick response from our

officers who were able to act swiftly

and bravely to bring this horrendous

attack to an end.

I also want to thank our partners from

the other emergency services, local

authorities and the health service who

have provided their ongoing support to

us throughout the day and will continue

so to do over the coming days.

I know that today's horrific events will

have a significant impact on all of our

communities, not only in Greater

Manchester, but across our country.

There will be lots of questions that

people would like answers to and

quickly,

but please understand that some of this

will take time. What I can say is that

the highly visible response to these

dreadful incidents will be sustained as

we work to understand the full

circumstances of what has happened. I

know that you will all join me in

keeping those directly affected by what

has happened in our thoughts and

prayers.

There are grieving families and

communities at the heart of this in

Greater Manchester and beyond.

I would therefore ask that people

refrain from sharing disturbing and

insensitive content online. If you have

information, then share it with the

police.

We stand with all of those affected and

will continue to do everything in our

power to keep our communities safe.

I thank you.

Well, that's the chief constable of

Greater Manchester Police making a

statement but not taking any questions

confirming what we knew. Two fatalities

and three people in hospital in a

serious condition and talking about also

the armed police fatally shooting one

man. Talked and gave a description of

that suspect wearing a vest that had the

appearance of having explosive devices.

also carrying a knife and praised the

bravery of both the security there at

the synagogue and also members of the

public to keep everyone in the synagogue

safe. So, uh those some of the key lines

there from Greater Manchester Police.

Let's go back to Ben Brown. And Ben, as

the chief constable was saying,

confirming a lot of the details that we

know, but urging people to keep at the

forefront of their thoughts all of the

people who have been involved in today's

dreadful attack.

Okay, wonderful. Yeah,

yeah, that's right, Matthew. Um, really

the details that we did have already,

although I think he said four are

actually now in hospital. Four

casualties are in hospital um as well as

the two members of the Jewish community

who he said uh had died. and he gave a

bit more detail about the asalent and

the vest uh that the asalent had on his

body with the appearance of a vest that

was uh had explosive devices and and

that is then clearly the reason that the

bomb disposal unit were called in so

quickly. We know the arms police were on

the scene as you heard there incredibly

quickly. 9:31 was the original call to

the emergency services. 938 was the

moment that uh armed police fired shots

at that suspected offender and shot him

dead. As we now know, I've actually seen

a a picture now of bomb disposal teams

close to the body using a robot to

examine the scene um and a knife lying

close to the body. But clearly the

police undertaking a huge investigation

now to find out exactly who this man

was. They've already told us they have

his identity, but they'll be working to

find out principally whether he was

acting alone or with other people as

well. Let's bring in Danny Savage, our

correspondent, who's been here all day

ever since uh well, soon after the

attack in fact, and uh following

developments for us. Um, and Danny,

we're just piecing together, I suppose,

now a bit more of a picture of what

happened, who the asalent was, and also

important to say, uh, there've been a

couple of arrests, haven't there? Um, we

don't know much about those or or what

the details of those arrests were.

No, two arrests made at an address not

far from here, and they were made, I

would say, about 1:00 this afternoon.

Uh, so we knew that they were ongoing.

It wasn't clear whether or not they were

linked to what happened, but it seems

that they were with the chief conipal of

Greater Manchester Police confirming

that there had been two arrests. I think

the photo that's on the website at the

moment from the B the BBC have put up.

They put up that picture that you

mentioned of um taken by via Reuters

shows the body of the attacker being

examined by a bond disposal uh

technician. And you can see bomb

disposal robots can be seen in the

picture and knives nearby as well as

items that were thought have been

strapped to his waist. Now, we've seen a

picture already today of the asalent

wearing what appears to be an explosive

device around his waist. What seems to

have happened since the shooting is that

they've used the bomb disposal equipment

to uh cut away that vest or a device and

move it away from him to examine him and

make it safe. We did hear a number of

controlled explosions here early this

afternoon. We understand that was to

actually to do with actually getting

into the vehicle that the asalant was

driving at the time because remember

this was an attack involved a stabbing

and a car being driven at a number of

people. They were obviously having

trouble getting into it safely. So they

used the uh the bomb disposal um

facilities to actually get into that car

safely to get the locks blown off by the

sounds of it. And we've heard three

explosions throughout the afternoon.

We've had to have some clarification on

numbers of people injured as well

because there's been a little bit of

sort of confusion about that and and and

the chief constible there said that four

people four further people remain in

hospital with serious injuries at the

moment. Uh after

we had thought it was three, didn't we?

Yes, we thought it was three earlier. Um

and then two members of the Jewish

community have died. So that's

confirming that what we suspected was

the case that it was people who were

actually part of the congregation or

going in or coming out of the synagogue

this morning who were targeted in that

attack that were standing roughly in the

gateway there. Because if you go past

the actual place there's there's a sort

of long wall with railings that runs in

front of the uh synagogue here and only

sort of a a fairly narrow gateway that

you could get a vehicle through. It

seems that people were standing either

just inside that gateway or in the

gateway at the time of the attack. Um

and so yeah, you know, it just puts a

bit more um detail on on on what we kind

of knew knew already and and firms up

the actual exact detail of how many

people are injured and sadly how many

people died as well.

And he was also the chief principal

there just talking about how you know in

a way fortunate it was that he the

attacker was not able to get inside

the synagogue. But also, I think when

you when you hear about that vest with

the appearance of explosive devices on

it, whether or not that was a viable

device that he had on him, it just

underlines the bravery, doesn't it, of

the police officers attending the scene,

the bomb disposal unit then trying to

remove that vest from him

and the security at the synagogue at the

time who were confronted with this man

because the call goes in at 9:31. The

incident's already underway at that

point, so the police are still a few

moments away by then. And so it's the

security that basically every um Jewish

uh establishment has at the moment that

they have a standard the sort of

security guards on there. They had to

deal with this initially and what

mustard they thought were this car

drives into a crowd. This man obviously

then gets out of the vehicle and he

appears to be wearing a vest and they

still managed to lock down the synagogue

effectively very very quickly to stop

him getting in because that's what we're

hearing from my witnesses. We're hearing

about a man who drives into the crowd

and then a man trying to use a knife to

get into the building. Um, and then he's

he's and he is unsuccessful in his

attempts to do so. Thankfully, it

appears due to the actions of the

security and the people in the synagogue

stopping him getting it. And it could

have then been a lot worse if he got in.

So, it's a combination in a sense of the

security there. Of course, there's

heightened security already even before

this at places like this synagogue we're

standing just down the road from, but

also the remarkably fast response from

the police and not just the police, the

armed police.

Yeah. I mean, you know, great all police

forces have, especially metropolitan

areas, have an armed response vehicle

somewhere on duty. They probably have

more than one on, you probably have

several armed response vehicles around

at any one time. And so, they was

obviously one very close to this area. I

mean, we're not far from the center of

Manchester. This is a densely populated

area. This is somewhere where police

would routinely have resources on

patrol. They were here quickly and and

and and thankfully they weren't too far

away by the looks of it to actually deal

with the incident when it happened.

All right, Danny, for the moment once

again, thank you very much indeed. That

is Danny Savage who is uh keeping us up

to date with all the latest information

and details that are coming into us. And

it is a changing situation. We've had

those press conferences from the Greater

Manchester uh chief constable and also

the head of counterterrorism police in

Scotland Yard giving us more details

about what's happened. But let's just

get a recap of the day events here in

Manchester from our correspondent Philip

Norton.

The scene outside a Manchester synagogue

as a suspected attacker is confronted by

police.

[Music]

It's shortly after a car was driven at

and hit members of the public outside

Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation

Synagogue. A man was stabbed, another

believed to be the offender was shot by

police. The suspect is believed to have

died. Two members of the public caught

up in the attack are now confirmed dead.

Three others have been seriously

injured. But literally we was just

driving up the road just doing our

normal deliveries. Next minute we just

we was held back in a little bit of

traffic and we thought it was we could

see like a car had like crashed. So we

just thought a normal collision anyway

as we got a bit closer we seen a guy

like bleeding out on the floor. He was

just basically unconscious on the floor

presumed obviously dead and then he's

literally there was a guy in front of

the car. He's just lay on the floor. we

couldn't really see him. And then like

there was a few people stood on the

road. Somebody shouted something. He's

in the school or the synagogue or what

what it was. And then as we looked over

the guy had a knife and he was just

stabbing the window trying to get in the

school and then within seconds the

police arrived. They give him a couple

of warnings. He didn't listen till they

opened fire. He went down on the floor

and then he started getting back up and

then they shot him again. The attack at

the synagogue comes on Yam Kapour, the

holiest day in the Jewish calendar when

many Jewish families will be attending a

synagogue. Police say a large number of

worshippers were inside the building at

the time.

The prime minister has cut short a trip

to Denmark, flying back to chair an

emergency government COBRA meeting. The

attack in Mashtra this morning is

absolutely shocking and all of our

thoughts are with those affected. I'm on

my way back to London. When I arrive, I

will chair an emergency Cobra meeting.

I'm already able to say that additional

police assets are being deployed to

synagogues across the country and we

will do everything to keep our Jewish

community safe. I've spoken to Mark

Gardner of the uh CST and Andy Burnham,

mayor of Manchester. And um I want to

thank the emergency services for the

speed of their response because I think

Andy Bernham, the mayor of Greater

Manchester, said the immediate danger

appeared to be over.

Uh but there is a degree of reassurance

uh that can be given here that it has

been dealt with, it sounds as though

very effectively, quickly uh by Greater

Manchester uh police. So, it would

appear that the immediate danger uh has

been averted, although um it's obviously

a developing situation.

In this video, which appears to be taken

by a passer by and authenticated by BBC

Verify, two armed officers can be seen

pointing weapons at a figure laying on

the ground. At one point, one of the

officers shouts to members of the public

nearby, "He has a bomb. Go away."

Seconds later, as the person being

watched attempts to stand up, a sharp

crack can be heard and the person falls

to the ground.

We can already build a timeline of

events that happened within the space of

10 minutes this morning. Greater

Manchester Police say they were called

by a member of the public at 9:31 to the

synagogue on Middleton Road in

Crumpsell.

The caller told them he'd seen a car

being driven towards members of the

public and one man had been stabbed. 3

minutes later, firearms officers were

deployed to the scene after further

reports from the public a security guard

had been attacked with a knife. At 9:38,

a man believed to be the offender was

shot by Greater Manchester Police

firearms officers. At 9:41, paramedics

arrived at the scene and began helping

those who'd been injured. Greater

Manchester Police declared a major

incident. An army bomb disposal unit is

at the scene. The king says he and the

Queen are deeply shocked and saddened,

especially on such a significant day for

the Jewish community. Philip Norton, BBC

News.

Well, we've been getting more details

from the police in the last couple of

hours. We've had a briefing, a short

briefing from the chief constible of

Greater Manchester Police, Sim Watson,

who was praising the swift and brave

response from police. And it was, as you

just heard in that report, incredibly

quick. Um 9:31 was the time that uh the

emergency services were first alerted.

9:38 was when the asalent was shot dead

by armed officers who were on the scene

very quickly. But he was also praising

the bravery of worshippers at the

synagogue and the security staff at the

synagogue who prevented the attacker

actually getting inside the synagogue.

And presumably there could have been far

worse casualties than there have been.

Two people have died for uh the chief

constable was saying are in hospital

with serious injuries. Um but we also

heard um in the last hour or so from the

head of counterterrorism policing at

Scotland Yard, Lawrence Taylor. Let's

have a listen to what he had to say

this morning. An appalling attack took

took place in Grumps in Manchester.

Two people have died.

The attacker has been shot dead by the

police. We believe we know their

identity, but for safety reasons at the

scene, we're unable to confirm at this

stage.

Three other members of the public are in

a serious condition.

We have also made two further arrests

and based on what we know,

counterterrorism policing has declared

this as a terrorist incident.

Our specialist teams are now leading the

investigation into what happened at

Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation

Synagogue and working closely with

Greater Manchester Police. As we do

this, those who have been killed and

injured at the at the forefront of our

minds, as are their families, friends,

and all of those who love them.

An attack on our Jewish community today

on Yam Kapur is devastating.

Communities across the UK would normally

be marking this holy day, are now

grieving and worried about their safety.

And I want to be clear, UK policing is

mobilizing and it's mobilizing fast.

Police forces are stepping up patrols

across the country at synagogues and

Jewish sites and more widely to provide

reassurance to all those communities who

have been affected by this incident.

At Counterterrorism Police, we're

deploying all of our capabilities in

response to what has happened.

And we have resources from across our

network involved.

We will ensure every piece of

intelligence and line of inquiry is

interrogated.

We're working closely with the security

services to ensure we have a full

intelligence picture in the coming days

and weeks

following events in Crumpsol today. I'd

also like to ask the public to remain

vigilant. Please report anything that

doesn't feel right to the police and be

alert to what is happening in your own

communities. Thank you.

So that was assistant commissioner

Lawrence Taylor, head of the

counterterrorism police, giving details,

a few more details about the attack and

indeed the aftermath. Um explaining

there have been a couple of arrests. We

don't know the details of those arrests.

Uh but also saying that uh there was uh

real bravery from the worshippers and

the security staff at the synagogue. And

that's something we heard from Sir

Steven Watson, the chief constable of

Greater Manchester Police, who was

saying praising the bravery of the armed

response officers here who were here so

quickly, but also the worshippers at the

synagogue uh and the security staff who

protect the synagogue as well. Let's

have a listen to what the chief council

of Greater Manchester has been saying.

Good afternoon.

First and foremost, my thoughts and

those of my officers and staff are with

the families of the loved ones who have

been affected by today's horrific

incident on what is the Jewish

community's holiest day, Yam Kapoor.

This attack has been officially declared

as a terrorist incident and the

investigation is now being led by

counterterrorist police

as has been confirmed by CT policing.

We believe that the identity of the

offender has been established but until

we are certain of this fact, it is

premature to set out this detail at this

juncture.

In addition, I can confirm that two

other individuals have been arrested in

connection with this incident and urgent

inquiries are ongoing.

We can confirm that two members of our

Jewish community have sadly died as a

result of this attack.

Following a rapid response, armed

officers from Greater Manchester Police

intercepted the offender and he was

fatally shot by officers within 7

minutes of the original call.

Four further people remain in hospital

having suffered a variety of serious

injuries and their treatment is ongoing

and our thoughts are with them and their

families.

Inquiries are moving at pace and very

visible and proactive policing activity

is ongoing across Greater Manchester and

beyond.

Updates will be provided as soon as is

practicable. Our priority is to keep the

public safe.

At this time, we know that a car was

driven directly at members of the public

outside the Heaton Park Hebrew

Congregation Synagogue on Middleton

Road, Crumbsell in Manchester.

The driver of the car was seen then to

attack people with a knife. He was

wearing about his body a vest which had

the appearance of an explosive device.

There were a large number of worshippers

attending the synagogue at the time of

this attack. But thanks to the immediate

bravery of security staff and the

worshippers inside

as well as the fast response of the

police,

the attacker was prevented from gaining

access.

All those inside were safely contained

until police were able to confirm that

it was safe to leave the premises.

Yam Kapour is a day where we see our

Jewish community attending their places

of worship, places where they and their

families should feel entirely safe from

harm.

I want to share my gratitude to all of

those members of the public who called

the police as soon as they saw what was

happening.

This allowed the quick response from our

officers who were able to act swiftly

and bravely to bring this horrendous

attack to an end.

I also want to thank our partners from

the other emergency services, local

authorities and the health service who

have provided their ongoing support to

us throughout the day and will continue

so to do over the coming days.

I know that today's horrific events will

have a significant impact on all of our

communities, not only in Greater

Manchester, but across our country.

There will be lots of questions that

people would like answers to and

quickly,

but please understand that some of this

will take time. What I can say is that

the highly visible response to these

dreadful incidents will be sustained as

we work to understand the full

circumstances of what has happened. I

know that you will all join me in

keeping those directly affected by what

has happened in our thoughts and

prayers.

There are grieving families and

communities at the heart of this in

Greater Manchester and beyond.

I would therefore ask that people

refrain from sharing disturbing and

insensitive content online. If you have

information, then share it with the

police.

We stand with all of those affected and

will continue to do everything in our

power to keep our communities safe.

So that was the chief council of Greater

Manchester talking a short time ago, Sir

Steven Watson, just confirming the

details that uh two members of the

Jewish community at the synagogue here

have been killed as a result of that

attack this morning. Four other people

are still in hospital being treated for

their injuries, serious injuries, he

said as well. He praised the bravery and

the quick thinking of uh the worshippers

here this morning who had raised the

alarm so quickly and also the security

staff at the synagogue and the armed

police who are on the scene incredibly

quickly as well. So that is the latest

from here in Manchester around the world

and across the UK. You're watching BBC

News.

Elaborate.

Well, we've been getting more details

from the police in the last couple of

hours. We've had a briefing, a short

briefing from the chief constable of

Greater Manchester Police, Sim Watson,

who was praising the swift and brave

response from police. And it was, as you

just heard in that report, incredibly

quick. Um 9:31 was the time that uh the

emergency services were first alerted.

9:38 was when the asalent was shot dead

by armed officers who were on the scene

very quickly. But he was also praising

the bravery of worshippers at the

synagogue and the security staff at the

synagogue who prevented the attacker

actually getting inside the synagogue.

And presumably there could have been far

worse casualties than there have been.

Two people have died. Four uh the chief

constable was saying are in hospital

with serious injuries.

You're watching BBC News. Let's go

straight back to Manchester because in

the last little while we've been hearing

an update from anti-terror police. also

the chief constable of Greater

Manchester Police giving us an update of

the police investigations and of course

the anti-terror police describing what

happened this morning as a terrorist

incident. So that was declared within

the last hour or so and of course

through the last few hours we've had so

much reaction to today's dreadful

events. Well, Dr. David Walker is the

bishop of Manchester. He lives about a

mile away from the synagogue where the

attack happened.

Well, my prayers go to the Jewish

community. I I I know their rabbi well.

I live only about a mile away from from

the synagogue uh myself, right in the

heart of of of the Jewish community. Uh

and for this to happen on on such a holy

day in in in their faith is is doubly

devastating. Uh and so I'm very much

holding them in my prayers at this at

this time and uh praying that as a

community we respond in the way that we

typically do in Greater Manchester and

respond well and respond by showing our

love and our unity. There's been a

strong Jewish Muslim forum, a bilateral

that's met for it must be getting on for

20 years now. So relation relations are

are good and the part of Manchester

where this has happened you do have

communities living peacefully cheek by

gel with each other as they have done

for many years. It's an area where often

people who've moved into the greater

Manchester area uh settled first and

then many of them stick there. I think

in Manchester because we have experience

of 2017 the suicide bomb attack then at

the arena which killed 22 and injured

hundreds of others because we have the

experience of how we responded then I I

would expect we'll respond just the same

way this time round and and and just

show our our love and our unity for one

another. That's the way to defy the

terrorists. We don't defy them by

embedding their hatred in our own

hearts. We defy terrorism by doing the

exact thing they don't want, which is to

be bound together ever more closely with

one another.

That was the Bishop of Manchester

speaking to the BBC a little earlier.

Very interesting some of the thoughts

and we'll pick up on that in a moment or

two. But in terms of some of the

politics, let me remind you of the prime

minister's movements because he started

the day at a summit in Copenhagen and

within hours he left that summit early

has returned to Downing Street in the

last hour or so. And of course we also

knew that he was chairing a Cobra

emergency meeting in terms of response

and finding out more of the details of

what happened just after 9:30 this

morning. So those the pictures of Kia

Sama arriving back at number 10. I

mentioned he started the day in

Copenhagen. He spoke to journalists

before he set off our route back home.

Let's play a little of what he had to

say.

The attack in Manchester this morning is

absolutely shocking and all of our

thoughts with those affected. I'm on my

way back to London. When I arrive, I

will chair an emergency COBRA meeting.

I'm already able to say that additional

police assets are being deployed to

synagogues across the country and we

will do everything to keep our Jewish

community safe. I've spoken to Mark

Gardner of the uh CST and Andy Burnham,

mayor of Manchester and um I want to

thank the emergency services for the

speed of their response.

Well, that was the prime minister. Let's

speak live to John Man, Lord Man, member

of the House of Lords and a government

adviser on anti-semitism. And Lord Man,

thank you so much for joining us today.

Your thoughts on a day like today?

Well, it's horrendous. It's what the

Jewish community has uh has always

feared and been fearing in recent times.

And sadly, unlike other attempts that

have been very calmly and quietly

stopped in the past, uh, this one has

succeeded in murdering Jewish people

purely because they're Jewish.

I know that you've only just driven up

to Manchester, but am I right in saying

that you have been able to have some

early conversations with members of the

community? Yeah, people who people from

that synagogue um who are um

it's understated to say shaken, I think

demoralized

um by what's happened. Um people are in

shock. Um it's one thing worrying about

something happening um and fearing it.

It's totally another when it actually

does happen. And that shock wave across

the British Jewish community is huge.

The impact's huge and it's going to be

vitally important that the rest of the

country, the rest of us stand and are

seem to stand with the Jewish community

uh this incredibly awful time.

I'll come to those wider important

points in a moment, but you made the

point there at the start of that answer

that you had spoken to people actually

who'd been there in the synagogue. just

give me a sense of how they described

those moments, those minutes, the hour

around the attack to you.

Well, the whole the whole the whole

people are just in shock. Um yeah, I'm

sure over time

more information will come out. There'll

be uh proper inquiry and looking at

everything. Um but you know, it's what

you fear. It's not what you expect

when you realize that

in the heart of your own life on the

most important day in the Jewish

calendar

when disproportionately high compared to

any other time numbers of Jewish people

go and turn up at synagogue. Those who

are occasional attenders are always

there. Um so the numbers are higher for

this to be happening really shaken

people. Um, and I think it's shaken

the city of Manchester as well. People

have been coming in the streets. You

know, who am I? I kind of just arrived.

People coming up seeing how disgusting

it is. Um, you Manchester has been

through this uh more than once before

with terror attacks. Um, one that

targets um it's uh it's proud small but

very prominent Jewish community. Um, I

think city of Manchester is horrified

and I'm sure the country is horrified.

We've heard even in the last hour

because we've heard from the anti-terror

police, we've heard from the chief gun,

we heard from London's mayor and the

prime minister all effectively saying

the same thing about extra security

around synagogues.

It is obvious that you would welcome

that, but in terms of practically, just

give me a sense of the levels of

security that already exist.

Well, apologies as I ask that question.

I think we've just lost that line to

Lord Man and we'll try to reestablish it

because uh a lot of points that he was

going to go on and we were going to

explore about levels of fear within the

Jewish community what actually happens

next in his view all of those thoughts.

So, uh, we will try to, uh, get that

line back to Manchester, but, uh, let's

go back to Ben Brown because he there

continues to be there for us. And Ben,

uh, our interview got interrupted there

and perhaps we'll get the line back, but

in terms of the shock there that Lawn

Man was talking about, it is really

profound from everyone there in that

area where you are.

It really is, Matthew. And and remember

where we are now in Cromwell in

Manchester, it's a very very multiffaith

area. Multicultural multiffaith um one

of the most multicultural in England

according to the statistics actually

roughly equal proportions of uh Muslim

people living here, Jewish people and

Christian people. Um, and so there has

been a real sense of shock. But also, I

think what's really come through in the

statement we heard from the chief

council of Greater Manchester is the

praise for the worshippers at the

synagogue who acted so quickly and

bravely to stop that attacker getting

inside the synagogue where he could have

wreaked more chaos and more bloodshed

and we could have had more casualties.

Frankly, we've got two dead and we've

got four injured according to the chief

constable seriously injured who are in

hospital as well. But he was also

praising the worshippers, the Jewish

security staff at the synagogue and and

there is security at the synagogue and

has been as there has been for quite

some time at other Jewish establishments

right around the countries uh the

schools, synagogues and so on. and then

also praising of course his own officers

who were on the scene as you were

remarking there remarkably quickly. 9:31

was the time of the original emergency

call. Um 9:38 so just 7 minutes later

armed police had shot dead the asalent.

Now, not only the speed of those armed

police, but the sheer bravery because as

the chief constable was pointing out to

us, this asalent had what looked like an

explosive vest tied around his body and

they didn't know whether or not that was

a viable device. bomb disposal unit was

called in afterwards. And that's why on

some of the video that you may have seen

of what happened at the time, police

were shouting at members of the public

to get back to stay away because they

simply didn't know if that asalent had

explosives on him that he could have

could have detonated. So, um, a lot of

praise actually for the reaction of his

own officers here, but members of the

community here who were in the synagogue

and around the synagogue at the time. We

gather there was a a prayer service

underway there at the time because this

is, as you've been reflecting, Yom

Kapor, the most holy day in the Jewish

calendar. So, yes, a real sense of shock

here in this part of Manchester. also

perhaps a little bit of a sense of

foroding amongst Jewish people here and

around the country because they will

tell you there has been already a rise

in anti-semitism

and they fear there could be copycat

attacks although the prime minister has

been of course saying there will be

increased police presence increased

security at Jewish establishments

including synagogues around the country

from now on

Ben thanks very much I'll be back to you

in a short while but we've reestablished

that line to Lord Man, member of the

House of Lords and a government adviser

on anti-semitism. Lord Man, thanks for

returning to us. We lost the line

roughly where I was asking you about

what the prime minister has said, what

anti-terror police have said about extra

security around synagogues right across

the country. Give me your thoughts about

those announcements and the level of

security that you see around synagogues

already. Well, there is a plan. Um the

there's a plan that's been in place that

we've developed over the last 20 years

for security at Jewish communal

buildings. And until now, that's been

incredibly successful. Um and we'll have

to reassess and look in the light of

today on what changes and improvements

are needed. Um but there is a plan.

There's also a plan in place um uh that

has been in place um for a short period

of time on what should happen if such an

event ever did occur and that's in place

now uh been rolled out to ensure that

people are reassured but also that

there's actual more security provided.

So it's not just the feel of more

security but actual more security in the

relevant places. Um and that's ongoing

at the moment because we need to ensure

that uh there's nothing further in the

aftermath of this either in terms of the

general abuse and hostility towards the

Jewish community which has been far too

high in recent times across the country

or indeed anything uh that attempts to

do uh worse and more damaging uh to to

the community.

I was just reading out a little earlier

some of the statistics over the last 18

months, two years in terms of

anti-semitic attacks and and that is

something that you and others have

warned consistently about, isn't it?

It is indeed. Um, but there's another

thing that will uh people begin to

realize. This is the first attack that's

murdered people in our country for many

decades purely for being Jewish.

that's not happened for decades in our

country. Um, and sadly and horrendously

it has now happened today that people

going about their lives, Jewish British

citizens have been murdered simply

solely because they're Jewish. The

impact of that on the Jewish community

is of course immense. I think the impact

on the country is big as well. Um and

what's essential is the country well

beyond

uh politicians but including politicians

but well beyond the country stands in

solidarity

with its Jewish population you know with

people's Jewish neighbors with their

Jewish work colleagues um that that that

people say that this isn't acceptable

and we're standing with you at this

time. I think we're going to see a lot

of that in Manchester. I hope and I

think we'll see that across the whole of

the country and that would be very very

important. Um and that would be the most

effective response that the people of

the country could give to this outrage.

Yes, these are really important moments

whenever we see events like this in

terms of uh how people respond, the sort

of language they use in response right

across any sort of reaction that we

have. That is really important, isn't

it? it it is absolutely essential and

simply people who know someone who's

Jewish um you know perhaps someone at

work um uh saying are you okay we're

with you is so important in this I think

if you're outside the community um

understanding how demoralizing and

shattering this is to people's

confidence in their ability to live

their lives just like the rest of us as

normal human beings in this country.

This is what terrorism attempts to

undermine and break. And our response

has to be to say, "No, you're not going

to break us. You're not breaking us as a

country. You're not undermining

our decency." Um, and that means

standing with our Jewish community. And

not just for a day or two, but ongoing.

Yes. and Graeme Stringer, the MP in that

constituents, made a similar point on

BBC News a little earlier, saying, "We

must not let evil people destroy what is

a tolerant city." And he reflected, of

course, those dreadful events back in

2017 with the same strains and how the

city actually came together. And

actually the bishop of Manchester also

on the program having similar thoughts

uh talking about how relations between

different communities in Manchester were

good.

Absolutely. And these are the people um

stepping up to the mark. More people

like them need to do so. Um you anyone

who was a religious or a community

leader from whichever community needs to

step up to the mark and join them in

what they're saying. And that's what I'd

encourage. I think that's essential. If

the Jewish community sees that, it will

strengthen the Jewish community. If it

doesn't, they'll see what's our future

in this country.

A final thought because you have talked

about the fears. You reflected that

right at the start of this interview and

of course we talked about the statistics

over the last two years given everything

that's happening in the Middle East.

Have you already seen changing behaviors

within the Jewish community?

No, of course changing behaviors. Um

people are

people are questioning

where can we live safely in the world

today? What where will our children our

grandchildren live safely in the world?

Can we live safely in this country?

We'll be able to go to work without

getting hassle. Will we be able to use a

computer or a mobile phone without any

hassle? And the answer increasingly has

been no. People have been getting hassle

simply for being Jewish. And now people

have been murdered for nothing more than

being Jewish people, citizens of our

country, going to their place of

worship. For that they've been murdered.

This shakes the very foundations of the

Jewish community. and the rest of us

need to get our heads around that and

make sure we do what we can do and there

are lots we can do to say no you're not

on your own in this

I mentioned in the introduction you

advise government what advice would you

give on a day like today to Karma

I've given my advice to government the

um uh and and I've been listened to and

uh um the Kama will do what's

appropriate as prime minister Um and I'm

sure he will be looking and calling on

the country um to act as Britain needs

to act at this time. Any prime minister

would want to do that. I'm absolutely

certain that's what Kstama wants to do

and what I'm seeing that's what he is

doing quite appropriately in the right

way in the right manner. You know, this

is a time uh not for politicking,

not for sectarianism,

you know, not for people trying to be

clever. This is a time for us standing

together as a nation. And of course, the

prime minister will be in the the middle

of that as he should be.

John man, we have to leave it there.

Thank you for joining us. Thanks for

your time. Uh John Man talking there

about the prime minister. We're hearing

from Westminster. just an updated line

about that Cobra meeting. Uh we are

being told that that has now started

with the prime minister chairing that

emergency Cobra meeting. So when word

comes out of any detail from that

gathering, we'll obviously update you.

We're also expecting a press conference

from Andy Bham, mayor of Manchester. Uh

a little earlier though he gave his

initial thoughts about today's events.

Well, certainly I would want them to

feel confidence in in our emergency

services. You can hear uh the activity

in Anna's broadcast there, can't you?

So, everyone is on the scene who needs

to be on the scene and work is happening

at pace to make the scene uh safe. Uh

so, you know, people should take

immediate reassurance from that. But I'd

also pick up on Anna's words uh at the

end there about Greater Manchester

standing together. Let's not use this as

a moment um for speculation, as you

said, Mike, for rumor and for for

division in communities. Every single

person in Greater Manchester this

morning should be standing with our

Jewish uh community as they go through

this uh this experience, this trauma uh

that that they will be experiencing

today. Everyone should show them uh that

our support uh and we deal with this

incident uh in the way that Greater

Manchester always does, in the right

way. um and by supporting those who've

been who've been affected. So that will

be my my job uh today. Uh we will um

obviously keep everybody updated, Mike,

as the day as the day progresses. Um but

it's it's a situation that people need

to, you know, just, you know, just hear

what has been said this morning in terms

of um you know, the way it's been dealt

with. And I think that's one of the main

things I want to leave people with

before I before I uh go go off the hot

seat this morning. you know, have

confidence in in our authorities. You

know, they they have dealt with a

difficult situation so far extremely

professionally. We all owe them a huge

debt of debt of thanks. Well done,

Greater Manchester Police, for getting

information out there uh quickly to

prevent the um the rumor mill. Uh and

we'll continue to deal with this

incident throughout today in in this in

this way.

That was Andy Burnham speaking a little

earlier. We are expecting an update from

him. So, as soon as that happens, we'll

bring that to you. Let's return to the

pictures from Manchester because uh

we'll turn to some of the geography

about exactly where this attack took

place today in a while. But we heard

from the chief constable, Sir Steven

Watson, a little earlier. Just updating

in terms of figures, two people being

killed earlier today in this attack,

four others in hospital, suffering a

variety of serious injuries, he told us

and then talked about the perpetrator of

the attack. Uh he was shot dead by

police 7 minutes after the original call

from a member of the public to the

police. Well, a little earlier, a

Manchester engineer Sam Martin spoke to

us. He says he fears he's actually lost

a friend today.

I think I've lost a friend today cuz I

used to pass next to the synagogue and I

know the security is a very very kind

person.

Um, I'm sorry. I'm shocked.

It's a very sad day. I lived here for

like 7 years. I've seen nothing but

kindness and love from the Jewish

community here. Very, very good people.

Um,

well, really difficult moments there.

Uh, just some of the people who have

been talking to us through the course of

today. We'll be back live in Manchester

in a moment or two, but around the world

and across the UK, you're watching BBC

News. For anyone just joining us here on

BBC News, I want to just take you

through the key planks of what has

actually happened today. Well, at 9:31

this morning, police received reports of

a car driving towards people and a man

holding a knife outside the synagogue on

Middleton Road in Crumpsel. A large

number of people were worshiping. It is

Yamapour, which is the holiest day in

the Jewish calendar. A major incident

was declared by Manchester police at

9:37.

Shots were fired by police one minute

later. While the prime minister, Kama,

says he is appalled and flew back early

from a summit in Denmark to chair an

emergency meeting. The opposition leader

Kimmy Badenok condemned it as vile and

disgusting. King Charles released a

statement saying he and Queen Camila are

deeply shocked and saddened about the

attack, especially on such a significant

day for the Jewish community.

Hello, I'm Ben Brown reporting live from

Manchester at the scene of the attack on

the synagogue here which has left two

people dead, four people injured. They

are being treated in hospital and armed

police who are here very quickly on the

scene this morning shot dead the

attacker who had a vest around his body

which appeared to be uh with explosive

devices on. So the bomb disposal unit

were called in. We've had a briefing

from the chief constable of Greater

Manchester, Sir Steven Watson, who was

really praising the bravery of the armed

police who are on the scene very quickly

indeed and who shot dead the asalent

within 7 minutes of the uh public first

making a call to the emergency services

to raise the alarm at 9:31.

He was also, by the way, and it's

important to stress this, praising

worshippers at the synagogue, many of

whom were actually inside the building

at the time, and of the Jewish security

staff, uh, the CST who were at the

synagogue as well to protect it. He was

saying that their bravery and quick

thinking had helped stop the attack,

actually get inside the synagogue and

perhaps causing more casualties. Well,

my colleague Merlin Thomas from BBC

Verify has been looking through some of

the details of this morning's dreadful

attack here in Manchester.

This is a developing story and we're

still piecing together the details as

they're emerging of the attack at Heaton

Park Synagogue in Manchester. Now, we've

been investigating a video that's

circulating on social media from the

scene of the attack, which appears to

show the moment police opened fire on a

suspect at the synagogue. In the video

we verified, we can see two armed police

officers, both with their weapons raised

and pointing at someone lying on the

ground. And then as the camera pans, we

can see a man lying on the ground just

outside the grounds of the synagogue

wearing a kipper, a Jewish cap. We can

see him lying in a pool of blood. Now,

one of the officers then approaches the

fence where a small group of people had

gathered. And the officer then shouts

loudly, "Everybody else, he has a bomb.

Go away." Seconds later, the figure that

was being watched by police attempts to

stand up. Sharp cracks ring out and the

man falls to the ground. Now, there are

a few people standing by watching in a

panic as the police attend to the scene

and others hurry away. We've also

verified a still image circulating

online showing a man believed to be a

suspect at the synagogue wearing three

white objects around his waist. Now, the

individual's appearance, bald head,

beard, dark clothes, white objects

around his waist, matches that of a man

seen apparently shot by police at the

same location in verified video from the

scene of the attack. Now, we can't

confirm the identities of any of the

people in the video. This is still a

developing story, and at BBC Verify,

we'll continue piecing together what

happened.

That's Merlin Thomas from BBC Verify.

Well, this is a pretty quiet residential

area of Manchester, a multiffaith,

multicultural area as well. Real shock

about the horror that unfolded here this

morning at around 9. And the attack has

been condemned from politicians from the

prime minister downwards all saying how

appalling it is and also the need to

increase security at other Jewish

establishments around the country as the

prime minister has said will happen. uh

synagogues, Jewish schools uh and so on.

We've been getting uh also reaction from

one of the local MPs uh Christian

Wakeford who's the MP for Berry South

who was talking to my colleague uh Anna

Jameson a little bit earlier on.

I mean there aren't really words to

describe. I mean today is literally as

we said the holiest day in the Jewish

year. It's a day where uh the community

are fasting you know they are

introspecting themselves. It's a day of

atonement and for something like this to

happen any day let alone today it's

shock for everyone in this community

which is uh a diverse area but for a

community that can't even let their

loved ones know they're safe because

they can't pick up a phone it's

challenging for everyone. Um so again

nothing but respect for um GMP and the

emergency services that got here um

straight away but absolutely thoughts

and prayers for all those suffering from

the attack either directly or or

indirectly as they're waiting to hear

from their loved ones.

The constituency of Berry South is

probably one of the most culturally and

religiously diverse communities in

Greater Manchester but people live side

by side. You know there is generally no

hatred here. Oh, as I was just saying to

one of your colle that there are so many

things that you know we are Manchester

we we're you know there are things that

bring us together so much and I hope on

the back of this we we see more of that

u but as you said you know we have a

large Muslim community down the road you

know this is one of the largest Jewish

communities in the country and you know

we do live side by side we are brothers

we are friends uh we are sisters and

relatives and and colleagues there's so

much more that should bring us together

and and hopefully we do see that

afterwards but again the moments It's

it's thoughts of prayers for those, as

you've said, who were slowly evacuated

and and not knowing what's going on.

And, you know, I think we're we're all

just waiting for more news to be coming

out.

You speak to your constituents on a

regular basis. How big of a concern has

something like this been for people day

in day out in recent years?

Well, we we saw the uh the planned

terror attack uh from a couple years

ago. U obviously that that's uh coming

up shortly. Um but on on the back of

operation wildflower uh following

October 7th um we have had a heightened

police presence around the Jewish

community for quite substantial time

now. So um there has been a fear of

something that could happen and

unfortunately today we we have seen the

worst of that.

Do we know if the security were at

present this morning?

So CST um who

do a fantastic job day in day out.

Who is CST?

Uh sorry CST are the community security

trust. So they look after the Jewish

community when they go to school, uh

when they go to synagogue as they have

been doing today. So they would have

been outside. Um so obviously nothing

but thanks for everything that they're

doing, but also we need to make sure

that their guards are safe as well.

And a number of neighbors and residents

nearby have been asking me and raising

the question about you know this

happening again. What message would you

say to people? I I think the the

government have taken this incredibly

serious. So at the moment the prime

minister is on his way back from

Copenhagen uh to hold Cobra. Um I know

the home secretary and the policing

minister are fully aware of the

situation having having spoken to the

policing minister on my way in today. U

so I think if there's one message from

the community um it's you know we are

here you know we we are here to try and

protect you and obviously we will be

doing more in the days to come. Have you

spoken to the home secretary or prime

minister?

Not yet. I have spoken to the poling

minister, but I'm I'm aware there's some

quite high level meetings going on at

the moment, but I I am due to speak to

the home secretary uh today.

And what did the policing minister say?

Uh unfortunately, there's not more she

could say uh other than what's already

been reported. Uh obviously there's high

high level um issues going on at the

moment. So it's it's one of those where

I think at the moment what's in the

press is as much as being briefed. Are

you confident that all communities have

the security needed in this day and age

in Greater Manchester?

Oh,

I am in fact that any community needs

security is an indictment as to where we

are a society at the moment. You know,

following October 7th, I I told my um

Jewish constituents in in numerous

schools across the area that I would

stand with them uh and I I would pray

with them and I would cry with them. And

I at the moment I think you're going to

have a community that's going to be

crying and feeling this pain. and I just

reiterate that message to them.

Well, that was Christian Wakeford who's

one of the local MPs here, the MP for uh

Berry South with his thoughts on the

horror that unfolded here around about

half 9 this morning. Um let's talk to

Danny Savage who's been here all day um

and talking to me with all the details,

the latest information as it comes into

us. Danny, it has been a really shocking

day, hasn't it? because it started with

news that there had been some injuries

and then we got the news around about

lunchtime there'd actually been

fatalities.

Yeah. I mean, I think when you hear

about a car being driven into a crowd of

people, you were immediately thinking,

how serious are the injuries? The

initial observations from Greater

Manchester Police this morning and

statements were that four people had

been seriously injured and that a person

had been shot and it was clear that the

it was the asalant in this attack who

had been shot at the time. Um, at that

point there wasn't any suggestion that

he had anything strapped to him or that

he couldn't confirm whether he was dead

or anything like that. That only emerged

as as the day went on really. And of

course we had that announcement at

lunchtime that in fact two people had

died um from the Jewish community. So

these were the people that it it does

appear were targeted as part of this

attack that were stood either in the

gateway or just inside the premises of

the synagogue just around the corner

from us here this morning. I'm

interested just talking to a few people

in the last few minutes that Yonapur is

so

you know strictly observed here by the

Orthodox Jewish community who were

targeted here today that there was

probably no mobile phones potentially in

the synagogue at the time and nobody had

mobile phones with them. Hence why it

was a member of the public that rang in

the initial reports of the attack. It

was people outside on the street

watching what was going on. And you know

it's it's you know whether there was any

sort of cynicism involved in planning

that attack and knowing that was going

to be the case that if you targeted such

strict Orthodox Jews that that would be

the case they wouldn't have their mobile

phones with them or anything like that.

I think that's something that may merge

more details of um as we go through the

coming hours. Um and and a community

that really hasn't told us what they

think at the moment because of Yon Caper

and the way they observe it. don't talk

to people, you know, they're not going

to be out giving interviews and chatting

to us about what the horrors of what

happened here today until after sunset

tonight until so so probably after 7

this evening we may get some people

talking to us more. But yeah, we got

those sort of updates about what

happened and then we've heard those

controlled explosions throughout the

afternoon and and those explosions we

think were actually trying to get into

the vehicle that the attacker was

driving.

Danny, once again, thank you very much

indeed for being with us. That's Danny

Savage there, our correspondent here in

Manchester. Now we are just hearing that

the Cobra meeting that's the

government's emergency committee has

just finished its meeting. Saki Starama

um headed back from a meeting in

Copenhagen with other European leaders.

He cut short that visit to come back to

the UK for that Cobra meeting to discuss

the attack here and all its

implications. So let's go to our

political correspondent Harry Farley

who's got more for us on that. Harry.

Yes, Ben. We've seen different cabinet

ministers uh leaving uh the cabinet

office. Deputy Prime Minister David

Lammy for example uh coming out uh after

what we presume is the end of that uh

Cobra meeting. And as we mentioned

earlier, this is a a vehicle I suppose

to try and coordinate the different

areas, the different arms of government

in their response to a major incident.

And I suppose right throughout the day

the prime minister coming back early

from that meeting of European political

leaders landing this afternoon and then

chairing that meeting o of uh Cobra this

afternoon. Those uh those Cobra meetings

happen fairly regularly between

officials but it's unusual for the prime

minister himself to chair it and I think

that shows really the severity of this

incident. Another example I suppose of

how example of how seriously the

government is taking it and the prime

minister earlier saying that the

government was deploying extra police

officers, additional police resources to

synagogues across the country.

Conventionally, we would expect to hear

from the prime minister at some point

following that Cobra meeting. So we may

well hear a state from statement from

him later on. But throughout the day

there's been universal horror from

across the political spectrum really to

this uh event to this attack and and all

political leaders referencing their

particular horror that this happened on

of course uh that that holiest day in

the Jewish calendar Yam Kapoor uh and uh

I suppose expressing their disgust. Kem

Benedok the conservative leader said

this was a vile and disgust disgusting

attack and her heart goes out to all

those hurt and affected. The Liberal

Democrat leader S Davies said he was

horrified and appalled and reform UK's

Niger Farage said that his thoughts and

prayers are with the families of those

affected. So that Cobra meeting

apparently wrapping up the deputy prime

minister David Lammy among others to be

seen leaving the building and we know

the prime minister flew back early from

that meeting in Copenhagen that European

political leaders meeting to chair that

Coobo meeting himself.

And Harry, I suppose one of the things

they'll have been discussing and and

getting information from the police and

the security services is whether it does

appear that this asalant here in

Manchester was acting alone or was

perhaps part of any wider conspiracy and

plot.

Exactly. That will be one of the things

they'll be discussing. Details which we

don't know at the moment. Obviously the

it was declared earlier a a terrorist

incident and confirmed that those uh two

further arrests were made but yes exa

exactly that there will be a discussion

in that cobra meeting about what exactly

is known whether this was a lone attack

whether there are other potential areas

of concern and typically uh the the

security services we know that senior

police officers were there we know the

home secretary Shabbana Mammud was there

so it's really a vehicle to gather those

different arms of government together to

try and coordinate what is known and

coordinate a response. The mayor of

Manchester Andy Burnham also attended

that meeting and I suppose another

example as we were saying of really the

gravity of this uh incident and the how

seriously the government is taking it.

All right, Harry, thank you very much.

That's Harry Farley there, our political

correspondent at Westminster with the

news that that Cobra meeting, the

government's emergency committee has now

finished meeting, Sakia Star coming back

from Copenhagen early for that meeting.

But as Harry was saying, the home

secretary and uh the mayor of Greater

Manchester, Andy Bham, who we heard from

earlier, also there. And just to sum up

really where we are at the end of this

horrific day for Manchester and for the

Jewish community in Manchester, two

members of that community are dead after

the attack just uh around 9:30 this

morning. Four people we gather are in

hospital with serious injuries. That's

according to the chief constable of

Greater Manchester who gave us a

detailed briefing on what happened and

the aftermath.

Also, we know that armed police who were

here on the scene remarkably quickly,

just seven minutes after the first call

to the emergency services were here and

had shot dead the asalent. And then the

bomb disposal unit were also called in

because, as we heard from Greater

Manchester Police, the asalent had a

vest around his body which had the

appearance of an explosive device. So

real bravery there by the armed police

and also praise for the worshippers and

the security staff at the synagogue who

stopped the asalent getting in. Much

more coverage in the coming hours here

on BBC News around the world and across

the UK. This is BBC News.

[Music]

Welcome to BBC News and the major

breaking news that two people have died

and three others are in a serious

condition after an attack on a synagogue

in Manchester. A man believed to be the

suspect was also shot dead by police.

Security has been stepped up across

Jewish sites this evening and the prime

minister has just finished chairing the

Cobra emergency meeting. will be live in

Manchester in just a moment. But for

anyone just joining us here on BBC News,

I just want to take you through the key

planks of what has happened today. Well,

at 9:31 this morning, police received

reports of a car driving towards people

and a man holding a knife outside the

synagogue on Middleton Road in Crumpsel.

A large number of people were

worshiping. It is Yamapour, the holiest

day in the Jewish calendar. A major

incident was declared by Manchester

police at 9:37.

Shots were fired by armed police 1

minute later. Well, the prime minister

Karma says he is appalled and flew back

from a summit in Denmark to chair that

emergency meeting. The opposition leader

Kami Badenok condemned the attack as

vile and disgusting. King Charles

released a statement saying he and Queen

Camila are deeply shocked and saddened

about the attack, especially on such a

significant day for the Jewish

community. Well, let's go back live to

Manchester and live to Ben Brown who is

there for us. Ben, over to you.

Yeah, Matthew. We're coming to the end

of what has been a day of huge shock for

this area of Manchester. It is a quiet

residential area. More importantly, it's

a very multiffaith, multicultural,

multi-denominational

area of Manchester where different

religious communities, different faiths

live very much side by side. So all of

that adding to the shock. There had been

of course amongst the Jewish community

fears that there is a rising tide of

anti-semitism in this country and there

was security at the synagogue where this

happened this morning at around half 9

and indeed the the uh chief conipal of

greater Manchester has praised the

security staff at the synagogue and also

the worshippers there who stopped the

asalent getting inside the synagogue

where there could have been worse

casualties than we have seen. And we've

also seen an a lot of praise for the

speed and the bravery of the Greater

Manchester police who got to the scene

really quickly within just a few minutes

and apprehended and indeed shot dead the

asalent even though he had a vest on him

which had the appearance as the chief

constible told us of being a a vest with

explosives

uh on it. So it could have blown up and

they weren't to know whether that was a

viable device or not. and the bomb

disposal unit was called very shortly

afterwards. But at the end of this day,

we have four people dead. The chief

constible said four two people dead,

four people uh with serious injuries in

hospital. Here's Philip Norton.

The scene outside a Manchester synagogue

as a suspected attacker is confronted by

police.

[Music]

It's shortly after a car was driven at

and hit members of the public outside

Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation

Synagogue. A man was stabbed, another

believed to be the offender was shot by

police. The suspect is believed to have

died. Two members of the public caught

up in the attack are now confirmed dead.

Three others have been seriously

injured. Literally, we was just driving

on the road just doing our normal

deliveries. Next minute, we just we was

held back in a little bit of traffic and

we thought it was we could see like a

car had like crashed. So, we just

thought a normal collision. Anyway, as

we got a bit closer, we seen a guy like

bleeding out on the floor and he was

just basically unconscious on the floor,

presumed obviously dead. And then he's

literally there was a guy in front of

the car. He's just lay on the floor. We

couldn't really see him. And then like

there was a few people stood on the

road. Somebody shouted something. He's

in the school or the synagogue or what

what it was. And then as we looked over

the guy had a knife and he was just

stabbing the window trying to get in the

school. And then within seconds the

police arrived. They give him a couple

of warnings. He didn't listen till they

opened fire. He went down on the floor

and then he started getting back up and

then they shot him again. The attack at

the synagogue comes on Yam Kapour, the

holiest day in the Jewish calendar, when

many Jewish families will be attending a

synagogue.

Police say a large number of worshippers

were inside the building at the time.

The prime minister has cut short a trip

to Denmark, flying back to chair an

emergency government Cobra meeting. The

attack in Masha this morning is

absolutely shocking and all of our

thoughts are with those affected. I'm on

my way back to London. When I arrive, I

will chair an emergency COBRA meeting.

I'm already able to say that additional

police assets are being deployed to

synagogues across the country and we

will do everything to keep our Jewish

community safe. I've spoken to Mark

Gardner of the uh CST and Andy Bernham,

mayor of Manchester. And um I want to

thank the emergency services for the

speed of their response because I think

Andy Bernham, the mayor of Greater

Manchester, said the immediate danger

appeared to be over.

But there is a degree of reassurance uh

that can be given here that it has been

dealt with, it sounds as though very

effectively, quickly uh by Greater

Manchester uh police. So, it would

appear that the immediate danger uh has

been averted, although um it's obviously

a developing situation.

In this video, which appears to be taken

by a passerby and authenticated by BBC

Verify, two armed officers can be seen

pointing weapons at a figure laying on

the ground. At one point, one of the

officers shouts to members of the public

nearby, "He has a bomb. Go away."

Seconds later, as the person being

watched attempts to stand up, a sharp

crack can be heard and the person falls

to the ground.

We can already build a timeline of

events that happened within the space of

10 minutes this morning. Greater

Manchester Police say they were called

by a member of the public at 9:31 to the

synagogue on Middleton Road in Crumpsol.

The caller told them he'd seen a car

being driven towards members of the

public and one man had been stabbed. 3

minutes later, firearms officers were

deployed to the scene after further

reports from the public a security guard

had been attacked with a knife. At 9:38,

a man believed to be the offender was

shot by Greater Manchester Police

firearms officers. At 9:41, paramedics

arrived at the scene and began helping

those who'd been injured. Greater

Manchester Police declared a major

incident. An army bomb disposal unit is

at the scene. The king says he and the

Queen are deeply shocked and saddened,

especially on such a significant day for

the Jewish community. Philip Norton, BBC

News.

Well, police have declared this a

terrorist incident and we can hear now

from the head of counterterrorism at

Scotland Yard, Assistant Commissioner

Lawrence Taylor, who spoke to the press

a little bit earlier on.

My message

this morning, an appalling attack took

took place in Grumps in Manchester.

Two people have died.

The attacker has been shot dead by the

police. We believe we know their

identity, but for safety reasons at the

scene, we're unable to confirm at this

stage.

Three other members of the public are in

a serious condition.

We have also made two further arrests

and based on what we know,

counterterrorism policing has declared

this as a terrorist incident. Our

specialist teams are now leading the

investigation into what happened at

Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation

Synagogue and working closely with

Greater Manchester Police. As we do

this, those who have been killed and

injured at the forefront of our minds,

as are their families, friends, and all

of those who love them.

An attack on our Jewish community today

on Yam Kapur is devastating.

Communities across the UK would normally

be marking this holy day are now

grieving and worried about their safety.

And I want to be clear, UK policing is

mobilizing. And it's mobilizing fast.

Police forces are stepping up patrols

across the country at synagogues and

Jewish sites and more widely to provide

reassurance to all those communities who

have been affected by this incident.

At Counterterrorism Police, we're

deploying all of our capabilities in

response to what has happened

and we have resources from across our

network involved.

We will ensure every piece of

intelligence and line of inquiry is

interrogated.

We're working closely with the security

services to ensure we have a full

intelligence picture in the coming days

and weeks.

Following events in Crumpsol today, I'd

also like to ask the public to remain

vigilant. Please report anything that

doesn't feel right to the police and be

alert to what is happening in your own

communities.

Take a stop out.

Okay.

Okay. And then so that was the head of

counterterrorism policing at Scotland

Yard, Lawrence Taylor. And we've also

been getting a briefing uh here in

Manchester from the chief conipal of

Greater Manchester, Sir Steven Watson,

who praised Jewish security staff at the

synagogue and worshippers for their

quick thinking this morning and his own

officers.

Come to us because then we'll have to

move. Thank you.

At this time, we know that a car was

driven directly at members of the public

outside the Heaton Park Hebrew

Congregation Synagogue on Middleton

Road, Crumbsell in Manchester.

The driver of the car was seen then to

attack people with a knife. He was

wearing about his body a vest which had

the appearance of an explosive device.

There were a large number of worshippers

attending the synagogue at the time of

this attack. But thanks to the immediate

bravery of security staff and the

worshippers inside

as well as the fast response of the

police,

the attacker was prevented from gaining

access.

So that was the chief constable of

Greater Manchester, Steven Watson. We'll

bring you more details about what has

happened here in Manchester in the next

few minutes, but for now, we're just

going to take a quick break around the

world and across the UK. You're watching

BBC News.

Well, we've been getting more details

from the police in the last couple of

hours. We've had a briefing, a short

briefing from the chief constable of

Greater Manchester Police, Steven

Watson, who was praising the swift and

brave response from police, and it was,

as you just heard in that report,

incredibly quick. Um 9:31 was the time

that uh the emergency services were

first alerted. 9:38 was when the asalent

was shot dead by armed officers who were

on the scene very quickly. But he was

also praising the bravery of worshippers

at the synagogue and the security staff

at the synagogue who prevented the

attacker actually getting inside the

synagogue. And presumably there could

have been far worse casualties than

there have been. Two people have died.

Four uh the chief constable was saying

are in hospital with serious injuries.

Hello again. You're watching BBC News.

I'm Ben Brown live in Manchester

reporting on what police have described

as a terrorist attack at the synagogue

just down the road from me here in which

two people two members of the Jewish

community here in Manchester have been

killed and four people have been

seriously injured and they are being

treated in hospital. The asalants were

shot dead by armed police just a few

minutes after the first call to the

emergency services. And I'm joined here

at the scene by the bishop of

Manchester, David Walker. Thank you so

much for being with us.

I know about them.

Give us your thoughts on a day of horror

and tragedy here in Manchester. It's a

shocking event. It's made doubly

shocking by the fact it was deliberately

undertaken on a day when the Jewish

community are celebrating commemorating

one of the most holy days of their

calendar. A day when uh they're they're

meant to be focusing on their worship

and and the praise of God and instead

they're dealing with the morning of

those who've been killed.

What are your messages and what are your

thoughts about the Jewish community here

in Manchester who clearly not only

shocked by what's happened but maybe

fearful about possibly other attacks?

Well, they need to know that the vast

majority of the population of Greater

Manchester are going to hold them in our

our hearts and our prayers today and the

time to come that we are we stand with

them as as firmly as we possibly can.

That we we all share in in our horror at

an event like this being perpetrated in

the middle of our city. And this is an

area of Manchester that's very

multi-denominational, isn't it? Very

multicultural. And the police are just

actually moving us aside. So, we'll

carry on talking to you, Bishop. But,

um,

we do just have to move slightly our

position to let some of the emergency

vehicles pass us by. But if I can just

keep keep asking you uh just talk to us

about this part of Manchester because

this is a an area where Christians live

and Jewish people live and Muslims live

sort of side by side don't

it's long been an area of Manchester

that's been very multicultural where

people get on well you know I shop in

some of the local shops around around

here and uh people like each other they

understand each other as we know each

other we learn to trust each other and

uh and like each other. But uh so it's

why it's doubly shocking that a event

like this should take place in an area

that's known for for good community

relations.

And we also just as one of the fire

trucks that's been here for a few hours

moves past us. Um it's also been a day

where we've seen the best of humanity,

haven't we? Some very extraordinary

bravery by the police who responded very

quickly. uh but also the worshippers and

the security staff who did their best to

stop the asalent getting inside the

synagogue. Yes. I mean this is this is

horrific but it could have been so much

worse. Uh fortunately the police were on

the scene record time and and

now for Manchester and for the sense of

unity I suppose that the city has to

show now doesn't it? in order to to to

reassure people that this kind of hate

clearly that we've seen um can't win,

can't prevail.

Well, I I hope we'll do that just as we

did in 2017 after the Arena attack will

show that uh we defy the terrorists by

being ever closer to each other by

bonding together in our love for one

another, our common humanity. That's

what we did then. That's what we'll do

again.

All right, Bishop, uh thank you very

much indeed for being with us. That's

the bishop of uh Manchester. Uh Dave

Walker, thank you. We'll we'll talk to

you again in a minute. Um we're just

going to go uh we're just going to talk

to Asal Khan who's um an MP for a

neighboring constituency here and

I live here.

You live here.

You know this area so well. Um just give

us your thoughts on a absolutely

horrific and tragic day. It has been

shocking, horrific. Like we say uh this

morning got up heard this news and I

felt it so that the community that we

have the relationships that we have to

experience this incident then on the

experience of this on the day Kapoor

which is the holiest day for the Jewish

community then the place which is a

synagogue place of worship where there's

peace tranquility for this to happen. Uh

so it was horrific and shocking

and as the bishop was just reflecting it

could have been worse. So much worse

actually but there was real bravery and

quick thinking by worshippers, security

staff at the synagogue and of course the

police.

Oh yes. Uh I think again whatever uh the

statement I've heard from the chief

constable uh it really shows how quickly

they work together and also the police

how quickly they got here. I'm a former

policeman from Greater Manchester Police

so I felt proud the way they've handled

it. uh this is a Manchester. We've

always done this. We come together when

it's difficult and uh we've seen this

from the our services but we've also

seen this in our communities that on

difficult times like this we've got

experience in the past as well. The

communities do come together because we

understand the basic idea that this not

the division which helps anyone. It's

coming together which strengthens us

all. And do you think Manchester and

this particular community in Manchester

can come together and unite after this

horror?

I'm very confident of this fact uh that

we will uh because we believe in this

solidarity idea. We believe in being

good neighbors with one another. We

believe in the richness of the diversity

that we have in this city because

together we are richer. And I think you

both work together, don't you, on, you

know, bringing the faiths of Manchester

together and working together, Bishop?

We do. I mean I I convene the the faith

and community leadersh

was a member of that before he ended up

in parliament and now isn't often with

us at on those particular occasions but

I know his heart's still very much with

us and the warmth of relationships that

we built the the declaration that was

jointly signed by Jewish and Muslim

leaders just before the summer break uh

uh supervised by the university to to

work ever closer together. I think

that's a that's a strong symbol of of

the kind of city that we always have

been and that we always will be I

believe.

And as Al Khan, I mean this was an

incredibly fast reaction by the police.

They they they got here and they had

actually apprehended shot dead the

asalent within I think 7 minutes of the

first call. But I mean, even so, do you

think we're going to have to see a real

stepping up, an increase in security

around Jewish establishments,

synagogues, schools, and so on around

the country? I

mean, I think it's clear, isn't it, that

the way they reacted was impressive. Uh,

everybody acknowledges that, but we also

acknowledge the risk that is there and

you've heard the prime minister saying

immediately we will be stepping up.

That's the right thing to do in the

circumstances like this.

Right, Absal Khan MP, thank you so much.

And also to the uh bishop of Manchester,

David Walker, thank you so much for

talking to us here on BBC News today.

Now we can go live to our political

editor, Chris Mason, who's at

Westminster for us because Chris, we're

just uh we're just hearing that the

Cobra Government Emergency Committee has

broken up. and what can you tell us

about what they've been discussing?

Thanks.

Yes. Hello to you Ben from Downing

Street. The Cobra meeting the emergency

committee gathering with the prime

minister in the chair. He had returned

uh from that summit of the European

political community in Copenhagen in

Denmark this morning. In fact, as soon

as he heard and was briefed about the

severity of the attack in Manchester, he

headed straight back here. That meeting

happened this afternoon. It lasted for

around about an hour. The home secretary

dialed in from Manchester. She headed uh

straight to Manchester and has met with

Greater Manchester's chief constable.

The um commissioner of the Metropolitan

Police uh was around the table Mark

Roelly alongside the uh community

secretary and the deputy prime minister.

Now we know from the prime minister on

his way to the meeting that a focus of

the meeting was ensuring a stepping up

of police support for the uh Jewish

community uh around uh around the

country today as is convention after a

horrific day like this and indeed a

Cobra meeting uh the prime minister uh

tends to appear in front of the cameras.

So it wouldn't be a surprise if that

were to be the case uh in the coming

hour to get a greater sense of what the

conclusions of that uh meeting have been

in a practical sense because that bend

is the nature of these meetings uh after

an incident like this uh that the

government brings together senior

ministers but also senior operational

figures not least the police uh to

coordinate the practical next steps that

are taken.

and and Chris, one gets the impression

the prime minister was told very quickly

uh the gravity of the the attack here in

terms of casualties because he made a

decision to leave Copenhagen where he

had been this morning very quickly and

get back to Britain for that Cobra

meeting.

Yes, indeed. Yeah. So you know we know

the events were playing out from around

about half 9 don't we uh this morning

and very quickly uh the prime minister's

team uh were briefed and very quickly it

was made known that he would turn around

and come straight back in fact

sufficiently quickly that the uh

gathering the formal gathering of the

European political community leaders

which tends to begin as these things do

with a photograph of all the leaders the

prime minister had left before that had

even happened and we heard from him

didn't we on

tarmac at the airport as he headed back.

So there was a keen awareness in

government of the gravity of what has

happened today in Manchester and a

desire from the prime minister to be

absolutely at the center of coordinating

uh the government's response and hence

him being straight back on that plane

straight back here to Westminster to

chair that uh meeting of the Cobra

Committee just down the road in the uh

cabinet office in the last couple of

hours.

Yeah. And at that meeting, I guess the

politicians, including the prime

minister, will be looking for

information and answers from the police,

but also the security services about who

this asalent was, whether he was acting

alone in the view of the uh police or

whether he perhaps had any accompllices

and whether this was part of a wider

plot or conspiracy.

Precisely that, Ben. I had the uh

fortune of being shown around uh the

Cobra rooms down there in the Cabinet

Office a couple of months ago, and in

the immediate aftermath of uh an an

incident like this, it is a uh pooling

together of information. So it's a

bringing together of the key political

figures as I say the prime minister, the

deputy prime minister, the communities

and local government secretary in terms

of the coordination of uh local uh

authorities, senior police figures uh

too both locally and uh nationally uh to

try and assemble the beginnings of the

answers to exactly uh those questions.

And of course there are so many

questions and then of course from that

the basis for how the government then

chooses to respond alongside uh the

police and uh counterterror authorities

uh as well. So that's what's been going

on this afternoon and it would be

expected that we'll get some sort of uh

update from the prime minister uh now

that meeting has uh has concluded.

Okay Chris, thank you very much indeed.

That is Chris Mason, our political

editor with the latest on that

government emergencies committee Cobra

meeting this afternoon chaired by the

prime minister. That's the latest from

here in Manchester. Back to Matthew in

the studio in London.

Ben, thanks for all the reporting

through the course of the last few

hours. Let me bring you right up to date

because as Ben was just talking to

Chris, Greater Manchester Police have

said the device worn by the synagogue

attacker was quote not viable. We'd got

an impression of that when the chief

constable spoke, but they are now

confirming that that device, they were

certainly worried about it was not

viable. We're also hearing from Frank

Gardner, our security correspondent, the

joint terrorism analysis center, which

takes its decision independently from

government is currently assessing

whether to raise the national terrorism

threat level presently at substantial,

which is the middle one out of five

levels. and much will depend on what is

found out about the perpetrator of

today's attack. So those some of the

latest lines just coming into us. You

are seeing the latest pictures from

Manchester. Do stay with us because

continuing coverage here on BBC News.

Hello, I'm Ben Brown reporting live from

Manchester at the scene of the attack on

the synagogue here which has left two

people dead, four people injured. They

are being treated in hospital and armed

police who are here very quickly on the

scene this morning. Shot dead the

attacker who had a vest around his body

which appeared to be uh with explosive

devices on. So the bomb disposal unit

were called in. We've had a briefing

from the chief constable of Greater

Manchester, Sir Steven Watson, who was

really praising the bravery of the armed

police who are on the scene very quickly

indeed and who shot dead the asalent

within 7 minutes of the uh public first

making a call to the emergency services

to raise the alarm at 9:31.

He was also, by the way, and it's

important to stress this, praising

worshippers at the synagogue, many of

whom were actually inside the building

at the time, and of the Jewish security

staff, uh, the CST who were at the

synagogue as well to protect it. He was

saying that their bravery and quick

thinking had helped stop the attack,

actually get inside the synagogue and

perhaps causing more casualties. Well,

my colleague Merlin Thomas from BBC

Verify has been looking through some of

the details of this morning's dreadful

attack here in Manchester.

This is a developing story and we're

still piecing together the details as

they're emerging of the attack at Heaton

Park Synagogue in Manchester. Now, we've

been investigating a video that's

circulating on social media from the

scene of the attack, which appears to

show the moment police opened fire on a

suspect at the synagogue. In the video

we verified, we can see two armed police

officers, both with their weapons raised

and pointing at someone lying on the

ground. And then as the camera pans, we

can see a man lying on the ground just

outside the grounds of the synagogue

wearing a kipper, a Jewish cap. We can

see him lying in a pool of blood. Now,

one of the officers then approaches the

fence where a small group of people had

gathered. And the officer then shouts

loudly, "Everybody else, he has a bomb.

Go away." Seconds later, the figure that

was being watched by police attempts to

stand up. Sharp cracks ring out and the

man falls to the ground. Now, there are

a few people standing by watching in a

panic as the police attend to the scene

and others hurry away. We've also

verified a still image circulating

online showing a man believed to be a

suspect at the synagogue wearing three

white objects around his waist. Now, the

individual's appearance, bald head,

beard, dark clothes, white objects

around his waist, matches that of a man

seen apparently shot by police at the

same location in verified video from the

scene of the attack. Now, we can't

confirm the identities of any of the

people in the video. This is still a

developing story, and at BBC Verify,

we'll continue piecing together what

happened.

That's Merlin Thomas from BBC Verify.

Well, this is a pretty quiet residential

area of Manchester, a multiffaith,

multicultural area as well. Real shock

about the horror that unfolded here this

morning at around 9. And the attack has

been condemned from politicians from the

prime minister downwards all saying how

appalling it is and also the need to

increase security at other Jewish

establishments around the country as the

prime minister has said will happen. uh

synagogues, Jewish schools uh and so on.

[Music]

Welcome back to BBC News and let's stay

with that breaking news from Manchester

because we've had a variety of news

conferences through the last couple of

hours from the anti-terror police also

from the chief constable of Greater

Manchester Police uh who are confirmed

that two people had died as a result of

the attack this morning. Four people are

in hospital with a variety of serious

injuries. The perpetrator, the suspect

was shot dead by police seven minutes

after the first call was received by the

public. Let me bring you the latest

detail from Greater Manchester Police,

confirming in the last five or so

minutes that the device worn by the

attacker was quote not viable. They were

obviously extremely concerned because

from the images, the few still images

we've had, you could see what looked

like some sort of belt device. We saw

the bomb squad there at the scene. We

heard a number of controlled explosions,

but in the last 5 minutes or so, Greater

Manchester Police confirming the device

worn by the attacker was not viable.

Now, in the last little while, I've been

speaking to Lord John Man, who's a

member of the House of Lords, also a

government adviser on anti-semitism.

He told me about his shock at what had

happened today, and also talked to me

about the plans for increasing security

at synagogues around the country.

Well, it's horrendous. It's what the

Jewish community has uh has always

feared and been fearing in recent times.

And sadly, unlike other attempts that

have been very calmly and quietly

stopped in the past, uh this one has

succeeded in murdering Jewish people

purely because they're Jewish.

I know that you've only just driven up

to Manchester, but am I right in saying

that you have been able to have some

early conversations with members of the

community? Yeah, people who people from

that synagogue um who are um

it's understated to say shaken, I think

demoralized

um by what's happened. Um people are in

shock. Um it's one thing worrying about

something happening um and fearing it.

It's totally another when it actually

does happen. And that shock wave across

the British Jewish community is huge.

The impact's huge and it's going to be

vitally important that the rest of the

country, the rest of us stand and has

seen to stand with the Jewish community

uh at this incredibly awful time.

I'll come to those wider important

points in a moment, but you made the

point there at the start of that answer

that you had spoken to people actually

who'd been there in the synagogue. Just

give me a sense of how they described

those moments, those minutes, the hour

around the attack to you.

Well, the whole the whole the whole

people are just in shock. Um, yeah, I'm

sure over time

more information will come out. There'll

be a proper inquiry and looking at

everything. Um, but you know, it's what

you fear. It's not what you expect.

When you realize that

in the heart of your own life on the

most important day in the Jewish

calendar,

when disproportionately high compared to

any other time, numbers of Jewish people

go and turn up at synagogue, those who

are occasional attenders are always

there. Um, so the numbers are higher.

For this to be happening, it's really

shaken people. Um, and I think shaken

the city of Manchester as well. People

have been coming in the streets. You

know, who am I? I kind of just arrived

people coming up seeing how disgusting

it is. Um, Manchester's been through

this uh more than once before with

terror attacks. Um, one that targets um,

it's uh, it's proud small but very bit

prominent Jewish community. Um, I think

city of Manchester is horrified and I'm

sure the country is horrified. This is

the first attack that's murdered people

in our country for many decades purely

for being Jewish.

That's not happened for decades in our

country. Um and sadly and horrendously

it has now happened today that people

going about their lives Jewish British

citizens have been murdered simply

solely because they're Jewish. The

impact of that on the Jewish community

is of course immense. I think the impact

on the country is big as well. Um and

what's essential is the country well

beyond uh politicians but including

politicians but well beyond the country

stands in solidarity

with its Jewish population you know with

people's Jewish neighbors with their

Jewish work colleagues um that that that

people say that this isn't acceptable

and we're standing with you at this

time. I think we're going to see a lot

of that in Manchester. I hope and I

think we'll see that across the whole of

the country and that would be very very

important. Um and that would be the most

effective response that the people of

the country could give to this outrage.

Well, that was John Man speaking to me a

little earlier. Well, the mayor of

London condemned today's attack saying

security will be scaled up at synagogues

right across the capital. Have a listen.

At this time of year when uh Jewish

people across the world are

commemorating Yom Kip, it's incredibly

worrying. We've seen this awful attack

on a synagogue in Manchester. I've been

in contact with uh the mayor of

Manchester, Andy Bernham, with the home

secretary and with the uh uh police uh

the police service will be stepping up

high visibly policing in and around

synagogues in uh London. I know as it is

uh Jewish people have been scared uh and

feeling scared over the last few uh

months indeed since October the 7th 2020

at 3. I also know many want to go to the

synagogue and uh worship. I want to

reassure them uh that in London they

will be seeing additional uh police

officers. People should be allowed uh to

go about and practice their faith

knowing they're going to be uh safe.

Unfortunately, too many Jewish uh

Londoners, Jewish people across the

country, Jewish people across the globe

don't feel that way, and that's

heartbreaking. Well, that was the London

mayor talking about increasing security

here in the capital. Let's get back to

Manchester because throughout the hours

since 9:30, so many people talking,

expressing uh what they saw, the shock

of the events and that included a

Manchester engineer, Sam Martin, who was

there very close to what actually

happened. He was talking to journalists

a little earlier. Let's have a listen.

I think I've lost a friend today. I used

to pass next to the synagogue and I know

the security is a very very kind person.

Um I'm sorry. I'm shocked.

It's a very sad day. I lived here for

like 7 years. I've seen nothing but

kindness and love from the Jewish

community here. Very very good people.

Um

well that was Sam Martin. You can see

just the shock, the impact of what

today's events have had on him and

that's reflected by so many others there

in Manchester. Let's return though to

the various investigations that are

currently underway. We heard from the

chief constable a little earlier. Our

correspondent Danny Savage was talking

to Ben Brown there just a little while

ago about what we know so far with this

police investigation.

Two arrests made at an address not far

from here and they were made I would say

about 1:00 this afternoon. Uh so we knew

that they were ongoing. It wasn't clear

whether or not they were linked to what

happened but it seems that they were

with the chief conipal of Greater

Manchester Police confirming that there

have been two arrests. I think the photo

that's on the website at the moment from

the B the BBC have put up. They put up

that picture that you mentioned of um

taken by via Reuters shows the body of

the attacker being examined by a bomb

disposal uh technician. And you can see

bomb disposal robots can be seen in the

picture and knives nearby as well as

items that were thought have been

strapped to his waist. Now, we've seen a

picture already today of the asalent

wearing what appears to be an explosive

device around his waist. What seems to

have happened since the shooting is that

they've used the bomb disposal equipment

to uh cut away that vest or a device and

move it away from him to examine him and

make it safe. We did hear a number of

controlled explosions here early this

afternoon. We understand that was to

actually to do with actually getting

into the vehicle that the asalent was

driving at the time because remember

this was an attack involved a stabbing

and a car being driven at a number of

people. They were obviously having

trouble getting into it safely. So, they

use the uh the bomb disposals um

facilities to actually get into that car

safely to get the locks blown off by the

sounds of it. And we've heard three

explosions throughout the afternoon.

We've had to have some clarification on

numbers of people injured as well cuz

there's been a little bit of sort of

confusion about that and and and the

chief constipal there said that four

people, four further people remain in

hospital with serious injuries at the

moment. Uh after

we had thought it was three, didn't we?

Yes, we thought it was three earlier. Um

and then two members of the Jewish

community have died. So that's

confirming that what we suspected was

the case that it was people who were

actually part of the congregation or

going in or coming out of the synagogue

this morning who were targeted in that

attack that was standing roughly in the

gateway there. Because if you go past

the actual place there's there's a sort

of long wall with railings that runs in

front of the uh synagogue here and only

sort of a a fairly narrow gateway that

you could get a vehicle through. It

seems that people were standing either

just inside that gateway or in the

gateway at the time of the attack. Um

and so yeah, you know, it just puts a

bit more um detail on on on what we kind

of knew knew already and and and firms

up the actual exact detail of how many

people are injured and sadly how many

people died as well.

And he was also the chief conipal there

just talking about how you know in a way

fortunate it was that he the attacker

was not able to get inside the

synagogue. But also, I think when you

when you hear about that vest with the

appearance of explosive devices on it,

whether or not that was a viable device

that he had on him, it just underlines

the bravery, doesn't it, of the police

officers attending the scene, the bomb

disposal unit then trying to remove that

vest from him

and the security at the synagogue at the

time who were confronted with this man

because the call goes in at 9:31. The

incident's already underway at that

point. So, the police are still a few

moments away by then. And so it's the

security that basically every um Jewish

uh establishment has at the moment that

they have a standard their sort of

security guards on there. They had to

deal with this initially and what must

have they thought were this car drives

into a crowd. This man obviously then

gets out of the vehicle and he appears

to be wearing a vest and they still

managed to lock down the synagogue

effectively very very quickly to stop

him getting in. Because that's what

we're hearing from my witnesses. We're

hearing about a man who drives into the

crowd and then a man trying to use a

knife to get into the building. Um, and

then he's he's and he is unsuccessful in

his attempts to do so. Thankfully, it

appears due to the actions of the

security and the people in the synagogue

stopping him getting it. And it could

have then been a lot worse if he got in.

So, it's a combination in a sense of the

security there. Of course, there's

heightened security already even before

this at places like this synagogue we're

standing just down the road from. But

also the remarkably fast response from

the police and not just the police, the

armed police.

Yeah. I mean, you know, great all police

forces have, especially metropolitan

areas, have an armed response vehicle

somewhere on duty. They probably have

more than one of you probably have

several armed response vehicles around

at any one time. And so they was

obviously one very close to this area. I

mean, we're not far from the center of

Manchester. This is a densely populated

area. This is somewhere where police

would routinely have resources on

patrol. They were here quickly and and

and and thankfully they weren't too far

away by the looks of it to actually deal

with the incident when it happened.

Well, that was Danny Savage talking to

Ben Brown. I just want to go back to

that information that Frank Gardner, our

security correspondent, was telling us

about and give you a bit more detail on

that because he's been saying the joint

terrorism analysis center, which takes

its decision independent from

government, is currently assessing

whether to raise the national terrorism

threat level presently at substantial,

the middle one out of five levels. Much

will depend on what is known about the

perpetrator.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
attack /əˈtæk/ B2	noun - an act of aggression or violent action; an assault verb - to take aggressive action against someone or something
synagogue /ˈsɪnəɡɒɡ/ C1	noun - a Jewish house of worship and congregation
offender /əˈfɛndər/ B2	noun - a person who commits a crime or wrong
injure /ˈɪndʒər/ B1	verb - to cause physical harm or damage to a person or animal
security /sɪˈkjʊərɪti/ B2	noun - measures taken to protect a place or person adjective - designed to keep a place or person safe
incident /ˈɪnsɪdənt/ B1	noun - an event or occurrence, especially one that is unusual or dangerous
brace /breɪs/ B2	verb - to prepare oneself for something difficult or unpleasant
vulnerable /ˈvʌlnərəbl/ B2	adjective - able to be easily hurt or affected
terrorism /ˈtɛrəˌrɪzəm/ C1	noun - violent acts intended to create fear and harm civilians for political purposes
mobilize /ˈmoʊbəˌlaɪz/ C1	verb - to organize and prepare resources or people for action
reassure /ˌriəˈʃʊr/ B2	verb - to say or do something to make someone feel less worried
suspect /səˈspɛkt/ B1	noun - a person thought to be guilty of a crime verb - to think that someone may be guilty of something
community /kəˈmjunɪti/ A2	noun - a group of people living in the same area or sharing common interests
injury /ˈɪndʒəri/ B1	noun - harm or damage to a person’s body
warn /wɔrn/ B1	verb - to inform someone about a possible danger or problem
faith /feɪθ/ B1	noun - strong belief in a religion or something without proof