Pallade Veneta - Two killed in UK synagogue 'terrorist attack' on Yom Kippur

Police said they shot dead the suspect and arrested two other people within hours of the attack which occurred as Jewish communities around the world marked Yom Kippur, the holiest holiday in the Jewish calendar.

The two dead victims were Jewish, police in the northwest English city confirmed, as London counter-terror police declared it a "terrorist incident". Four other people were seriously wounded.

The dead suspect's identity had been "established" but the counter-terror police, which are leading the investigation, said it was too soon to release it publicly.

The attacker wore a "vest which had the appearance of an explosive device" but Greater Manchester Police (GMP) revealed Thursday evening it was not viable.

"It's a very sad day. I live here for like seven years. I've seen nothing but kindness and love from the Jewish community. Very, very good people," engineer Sam Martin, 41, told AFP.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who left a European political summit in Denmark early to chair an emergency response meeting in London, announced security was being boosted at UK synagogues.

Addressing Jewish communities directly in a televised statement shortly after the meeting, he vowed to "do everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve".

He said while antisemitism was not new, "we must be clear it is a hatred that is rising once again, and Britain must defeat it once again".

It was one of the worst antisemitic attacks in Europe since the October 7, 2023 Hamas militants' assault on Israel, which sparked the Gaza war.

- Eyewitness -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned it as a "barbaric attack," adding "Israel grieves with the Jewish community in the UK".

GMP said it was alerted shortly after 9:30 am (0830 GMT) that a car had driven into people outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue and a security guard had been attacked with a knife.

Chief constable Stephen Watson confirmed later that "two members of our Jewish community have sadly died" while officers had shot dead the attacker within seven minutes of the first emergency call.

Four other people remained in hospital with "serious injuries," he said.

"The driver of the car was seen then to attack people with a knife" while wearing the fake explosives vest.

But police praised the swift action of people who reported the attack, saying it had stopped the suspect from entering the synagogue.

A witness told BBC Radio he saw police shooting a man after a car crash.

"They give him a couple of warnings, he didn't listen until they opened fire," the witness said.

King Charles III said he and Queen Camilla were "deeply shocked and saddened".

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas were among the world leaders to condemn the attack.

"Houses of worship are sacred places where people can go to find peace," Guterres said.

"Targeting a synagogue on Yom Kippur is particularly heinous."

- 'Rampant' antisemitism -

The attack came days ahead of the second anniversary of the October 7 attack on Israel which sparked a fierce offensive in Gaza, inflamed passions in Britain and sparked frictions between the British and Israeli governments.

But supporters of the banned Palestine Action group said they would go ahead with a rally on Saturday as planned despite a plea from the Metropolitan Police to postpone the event.

Reacting to the attack, Israel's foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar accused UK authorities of failing to curb "rampant antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement".

"We expect more than words from the Starmer government. We expect and demand a change of course, effective action," he added.

Manchester, famous around the world for its two Premier League football clubs and industrial history, is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the UK.

It totalled more than 28,000 in 2021, according to the Institute for Jewish Policy Research.

The synagogue sits among quiet residential streets, with dozens of visibly-distressed locals lining the police cordons Thursday.

I.Saccomanno--PV