Iraqi Man Charged Linked to Manchester Yom Kippur Synagogue Attack

Counter Terrorism Policing North West confirmed that Hekmat Omar Ali Hakim, a 49‑year‑old Iraqi resident of Greater Manchester, was taken into custody on Thursday on suspicion of failing to disclose relevant intelligence concerning the terrorist attack at Heaton Park Synagogue on Yom Kippur, October 2 2025.

Hakim faces charges under the UK Terrorism Act and is scheduled to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Friday. Police have not released details of the specific information he is alleged to have withheld, the timing of his knowledge, or the precise nature of his links to the perpetrator.

Hakim was initially detained on May 26 following a coordinated raid conducted by Counter Terrorism Policing North West and Greater Manchester Police as part of the broader investigation into the assault. He was questioned and subsequently released on bail the next day.

He became the eighth individual apprehended in the expansive inquiry that began after the assault. After almost three months of further investigative work and with prosecutorial approval, authorities elected to formally charge him, prompting a second arrest.

Police Continue to Assemble Full Account of Attack

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts, who oversees Counter Terrorism Policing North West, characterised the charge as a pivotal milestone in the ongoing investigation.

Potts added that investigators remain committed to uncovering the complete narrative of the attack and identifying all parties involved. He emphasized that the charge stemmed from a comprehensive and painstaking inquiry conducted in collaboration with British prosecutors.

Attack at Heaton Park Synagogue – Yom Kippur 2025

On the morning of Yom Kippur 2025, Jihad al‑Shamie, a 35‑year‑old Syrian‑born British national, drove a vehicle into the Heaton Park Synagogue, injuring several congregants. He subsequently exited the car wielding a knife and wearing what was later identified as a counterfeit explosive belt. Police marksmen fatally shot him.

Two worshippers lost their lives: Melvin Cravitz, aged 66, and Adrian Daulby, aged 53. Cravitz succumbed to stab wounds inflicted by the assailant.

Subsequent findings indicate that Daulby was killed when a police officer’s shot struck him; the projectile either deflected or ricocheted and hit him as he attempted to block the synagogue entrance.

Three additional men sustained serious injuries during the incident; all have since been discharged from hospital care.

The investigation remains ongoing. Police reports indicate that, since October, multiple individuals have been detained on various related suspicions, bringing the total number of arrests to eight by May. At least one further suspect, held on suspicion of failing to disclose information about terrorist activity, continues to be examined.

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