Jihad Al-Shamie pledged allegiance to ‘Islamic State’ in 999 call

The man who carried out the Manchester synagogue attack made a 999 call in which he pledged allegiance to the group calling itself Islamic State.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, was shot dead by police outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue after the car and knife attack that saw two Jewish men killed.

The call was made after Al-Shamie’s drove into worshippers and hit a wall, Counter Terrorism Police North West confirmed.

Meanwhile, in a fresh update, police said four more people arrested during the investigation were set to be released without charge.

Melvin Cravitz, 66, and 53-year-old Adrian Daulby died in the attack on Middleton Road around 09:30 BST on 2 October.

Six people were held in the aftermath, with two later released without charge.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts, of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, said “further releases were planned” but that “did not mean the investigation was complete”.

Police also confirmed that a suspected explosive belt Al-Shamie was wearing around his waist was a “hoax device” that had since been assessed and “found to be non-viable”.

Two of the six people arrested – a man and a woman – were held in the hours after the attack and released on Saturday.

The following day, detectives said they had been given extra time to question the remaining four, who were also detained on “suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism”.

In the hours after attack it was confirmed that Mr Daulby was shot by a police bullet which penetrated the door of the synagogue in Crumpsall as armed officers opened fire on Al-Shamie – who was wearing a fake bomb vest.

A police bullet also struck another man, Yoni Finlay, who is recovering in hospital after surgery.

Two other men remain in hospital after sustaining serious injuries in the attack, including one who was stabbed in the neck and chest.

Al-Shamie walked to the synagogue on foot around 15 minutes earlier, police said, and was asked to leave due to his “suspicious” behaviour.

Doorbell camera footage obtained by the BBC showed him walking down White House Avenue a short distance away from the synagogue, where he is believed to have parked a black Kia Picanto car, at 09:22.

The black Kia Picanto also matches the description of a car driven through the gates at the synagogue and at worshippers.

As with the car used in the attack, the back right hubcab can be seen missing from the vehicle in the footage.

Earlier this week, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said the force has put “every available resource into making sure that we understand precisely what has happened”.

Sir Stephen said:” There is a limit to what I can say at this juncture in terms of the dynamics of that investigation.

“Suffice to say that we know that there are answers that people require, and those answers will be forthcoming as soon as it is appropriate to give them.

“I do want to reassure people that no stone is being left unturned.”