The man behind last week’s deadly attack at a Manchester synagogue was a university dropout with a history of drug use, criminal behaviour and domestic abuse, according to reports and witness accounts.
Police have identified the attacker as Jihad al-Shamie, 35, who killed two worshippers (Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66) during a car-ramming and knife assault at the Heaton Park Synagogue on Thursday morning, coinciding with Yom Kippur.
Counter-terrorism officers are continuing to investigate al-Shamie’s background, associates and recent activities as they piece together his path to radicalisation.
Background and University Life
Al-Shamie enrolled at Liverpool John Moores University in 2010 to study media, but is said to have dropped out after a year. Former acquaintances described him as a heavy cannabis user who spent long periods playing violent computer games.
One former friend claimed he would “spend more than 12 hours a day on his console, often not bothering to get dressed.” While two of his younger brothers went on to gain master’s degrees, al-Shamie never completed his studies and, neighbours said, appeared to drift aimlessly for years after returning to his family home in Prestwich.
Residents recalled seeing him “wandering around in pyjamas and flip-flops,” occasionally lifting weights in a makeshift gym in the garage. There is no record of him holding down a regular job.
Personal Life and Radical Turn
It is believed that al-Shamie began showing a serious interest in Islam around 2018. After the Covid lockdown, he met a woman from Burnage, South Manchester, and moved into her family’s home in 2022.
The couple later married in an Islamic ceremony, and their son was born in October 2024. Hospital records show al-Shamie listed himself as a “full-time father” on the birth certificate, though it remains unclear how active a role he played in his child’s upbringing.
Despite his claims of devotion, he is said to have used a Muslim dating app to pursue other women. A former girlfriend, who has since spoken publicly, described him as “controlling and abusive,” saying he hid the fact that he was already married.
She told the Manchester Evening News:
“HE USED TO SAY ‘I WANT YOU TO BE DEDICATED TO THE CAUSE,’ AND HE USED TO SIT THERE AND MAKE ME WATCH VIDEOS – LIKE EXTREME VIDEOS – THAT I HAD NO INTEREST IN.
I AM MUSLIM, AND OF COURSE I LOVE TO LEARN MORE. BUT THIS STUFF WAS THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN RAISED TO NOT AGREE WITH. HE USED TO ALWAYS SAY I WAS TAUGHT THE WRONG WAY AND I WASN’T TAUGHT RIGHT. HE WAS BASICALLY JUST TRYING TO GROOM ME INTO WHAT HE THOUGHT.”
The woman said al-Shamie displayed violent tendencies and spoke about rape fantasies. She added that he monitored her behaviour, told her what to eat, and demanded she lose weight. After ending the relationship, she moved abroad.
Criminal History
Al-Shamie had a series of prior convictions for violent and disorderly conduct. He was recently arrested on suspicion of rape and released on bail pending further enquiries, according to Greater Manchester Police.
It has also been alleged that he entered into another brief Islamic marriage with a Muslim convert only days after meeting her, though the union is not thought to have been legally recognised.
Ongoing Investigation
Authorities continue to search al-Shamie’s electronic devices and communications for evidence of extremist influence or potential co-conspirators.
Detectives say the attack appears to have been “a lone-actor Islamist terrorist incident.” Security has since been stepped up at places of worship across various parts of the country.
