Jihad Al-Shamie: The terrorist who killed two men in synagogue attack

The terrorist who killed two people at a synagogue grew up in England and was a weightlifter who never spoke to his neighbours, according to reports.

Jihad Al-Shamie is understood to have entered the UK as a young child and was granted British citizenship in 2006 when he was around the age of 16.

It is understood the 35-year-old’s name has not appeared in initial searches of police and security service records, and he is not thought to have been under investigation.

Neighbours of the synagogue killer said he had lived there since around 2021, and one neighbour remembered a baby also living at the address but could not recall seeing a woman living there.

One woman said: “We used to see him out in the garden working out, doing weights, press ups.

“He used to change his clothes. One day he would be wearing the full gown, to the floor and the next jeans and pyjama bottoms.”

A neighbour of a house raided in Langley Crescent, Prestwich, told the Daily Telegraph she recognised its occupant from photographs of the synagogue attacker.

She said: “He lived there 10 years, with no wife or kids that I could see. He never seemed to speak to anyone around here.

“I recognised him from the pictures of the attacker. I recognised his little car, the Kia, because he’d always park it badly outside ours.

“I’d see him walking around in his pyjamas and slip-on sandals, carrying a shopping bag.

“He was quite bulked up and used to keep his exercise weights in his garage. I’d see them there.”

ITV News said Al-Shamie is understood to have worked as a tutor teaching English and computer programming, while reports suggest his father is a surgeon.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was “surprised” by the attacker’s name.

Speaking on LBC, Ms Mahmood was asked about the attacker’s name, Jihad Al-Shamie, which presenter Nick Ferrari translated as “struggle of the Syrian”.

She said: “I was very surprised to discover that name myself.

“Actually, as a Muslim, I’ve never heard someone being called Jihad, but it is the name that he was born with – that has always been his name.”