One of worshippers stabbed to death in a frenzied terror attack outside a synagogue yesterday has been pictured.
Melvin Cravitz, age 66, lost his life along with Adrian Daulby, 53, in an assault that occurred outside the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue on Middleton Road, Crumpsall, Thursday morning. Both men were residents of Crumpsall.
Mr. Cravitz shared a friendship with Rabbi Daniel Walker of the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue, who courageously fended off the attacker during the incident, which coincided with Yom Kippur, the most sacred day in Judaism.
He is survived by his wife, Karen, whom he wed in August 2009. A touching family photograph posted online shows the couple toasting with whisky on their wedding day.
Four others were injured, with three still in hospital with serious injuries.
Last night, Greater Manchester Police named the suspect, who was shot dead by armed police in the attack, as 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie.
A British national of Syrian heritage, Mr. Cravitz’s case is under investigation by police, who are trying to determine the motive and have classified the attack as terror-related.
Police also arrested two men aged in their 30s and a woman in her 60s on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack.
The incident involved a car being rammed into bystanders, leading to a crash, after which the perpetrator exited the vehicle and began attacking those gathered outside. This tragic event took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Melvin Cravitz, 66 (pictured) was killed in the terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester yesterday
Members of the community close to the synagogue where two people were killed in the terror attack
Flowers laid at the scene of Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue
Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes, responsible for leading the response to this tragedy, expressed: ‘My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of Mr. Daulby and Mr. Cravitz during this incredibly challenging time.’
‘Specially trained Family Liaison Officers are in contact with them. They will continue to update them on the investigation and support them throughout the coronial process.
‘Whilst there are processes which must be followed, we commit to being mindful of cultural preferences and sensitivities and to ensuring that these men and their loved ones’ wishes are respected.’
Home Office post-mortems will take place later this morning.
Two innocent members of Manchester’s Jewish community – Mr Daulby and Mr Cravitz – tragically died in the attack. Four others were injured, with three still in hospital with serious injuries.
Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, who killed two men outside the synagogue came to the UK from Syria as a young child and grew up just around the corner from the site of the attack.
Al-Shamie, who was shot dead minutes after he targeted Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester yesterday, is understood to have been granted British citizenship in 2006 when he was a teenager, aged around 16.
It is believed Al-Shamie was a dad – with a photo shared by his own father last year showing him holding a baby in his arms. The Facebook post was captioned ‘great welcome grandson’.
Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, who was shot dead minutes after he targeted Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester yesterday. It is believed he was a father and is pictured holding a child
The attacker was caught on camera armed with a knife trying to get into the synagogue moments before he was shot by armed police
Al-Shamie – who is yet to be formally identified – carried out his murderous rampage on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
He first rammed his black Kia Picanto hatchback into crowds of Jewish worshippers at 9.31am, before he got out and started ‘stabbing everyone he could get to’.
Videos on YouTube show Al-Shamie and his two brothers playing in the back yard of a home on Crescent Road, which is around a 20-minute walk from the synagogue he later targeted.
The clips were shared by the killer’s father Faraj Al-Shamie, who is believed to be a trauma doctor who has worked for several NGOs in warzones across the world.
It is understood the family has lived in Greater Manchester for at least 30 years – and currently live in Prestwich, around two miles from the scene of the terror attack.
Al-Shamie’s name was last night linked to a property in the town – with a neighbour recognising his face from photographs of the synagogue attacker.
Al-Shamie is understood to have worked as a tutor teaching English and computer programming.
It is not known whether he came to the UK as an asylum seeker or whether it was through another immigration route, such as ‘family reunion’ which can allow foreign nationals to join relatives already in Britain.
Following the incident, armed officers later reportedly arrested two men in a street just feet away from the deadly knife attack in Manchester (pictured is a man being detained by police)
The road where the arrests took place, White House Avenue, about 1,500ft from the synagogue, was cordoned off and put under armed guard
Al-Shamie’s name has reportedly not appeared in initial searches of police and security service records, and he is not thought to have been under investigation.
Further checks are being carried out to see if any of his details appear anywhere in records of other investigations.
Al-Shamie tried to force his way inside the synagogue, but was prevented in doing so by hero Rabbi Daniel Walker, who barricaded worshippers inside.
Father-of-three Yoni Finlay also helped to stop him from going inside. He was said to have been injured by a stray bullet when armed police shot Al-Shamie dead seven minutes after the horror unfolded.
Mr Finlay was taken to hospital following the attack and is said to have undergone surgery.
It is unclear whether he was accidentally shot or was injured from shrapnel and flying glass from the impact of the bullet on the door.
‘Marauding’ terrorist Al-Shamie had been seen wearing what was feared to be a vest with an explosive device.
Police later confirmed the vest he was wearing was ‘not viable’.
Pictured: Members of the British Army’s bomb squad are seen with one of their robots
Khurram Rafiq, who was driving past the synagogue, said Al-Shamie went from victim to victim in a ‘robotic’ manner like he ‘had a job to do’.
Mr Rafiq, 35, a manager for a global tech firm, told the Daily Mail: ‘Initially I thought it was an accident and that the driver had lost control for whatever reason.
‘But he then got out and stabbed the man who was lying on the ground. The knifeman walked through the front gates and stabbed at least two other men. I would describe him as an Asian man and he was going for anyone who was Jewish.
‘The men he stabbed were all wearing the kippah. There was no shouting from what I could hear nor any religious slogans.’
Last night, Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said the terror attack had come following an ‘unrelenting wave of Jew hatred on our streets, campuses, on social media and elsewhere’.
He said: ‘This is the day we hoped we would never see, but which deep down, we knew would come.’
Police patrols have been bolstered outside synagogues since yesterday’s bloodshed, with Sir Keir Starmer pledging to the Jewish community that he would do ‘everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve’.
The premier later visited an unnamed synagogue in a show of solidarity having earlier heaped praise on the heroic emergency services and security who had ‘no doubt whatsoever prevented an even greater tragedy’.
Rabbi Daniel Walker (pictured right) leapt into action after the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue came under attack
Sir Keir had flown back from a summit in Copenhagen to oversee the emergency response.
Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Stephen Watson said the bravery of security staff and worshippers had stopped the knifeman from entering the building.
Sir Stephen said: ‘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.’
