Manchester synagogue terrorist’s phones revealed his extremist views – but police failed to check them
Phone calls of Manchester synagogue terrorist reveal extremist views; but police were unable to control these views when they captured them months before they were arrested for other alleged crimes.
Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said there was “little doubt” that the information found on the phones would inspire further investigation, and acknowledged it was a “missed opportunity” and that the data on the phones could point to Jihad Al-Shamie’s extremist mindset.
Al-Shamie, 35, was out on bail at the time for the alleged rape, leading police to seize his devices as part of the investigation. He was shot dead by police last year while targeting a place of worship in Heaton Park on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, died following what police and government leaders condemned as a “despicable” terrorist attack.
Sir Stephen said the failure came to light following an internal investigation by Greater Manchester Police (GMP), adding that he was “deeply saddened” by the “added distress” for the families of those killed.
“During the internal investigation, it was revealed that GMP seized Al-Shamie’s mobile devices during each arrest. The significance of the data content of these devices was significant in proving an extremist mindset,” he said.
“Unfortunately, I can confirm that the significance of the information stored on Al-Shamie’s devices was not recognized as it was not reviewed prior to the attack on October 2, 2025.”
Sir Stephen added that it was “clear” that failure to examine the devices was a “missed opportunity”: “However, there can be little doubt that the information contained in these devices would have inspired further investigative action. “It is clear that our failure to examine the data available to us before the attack constituted a missed opportunity.
“I am disappointed that this could add to the suffering of all those affected by the terrible events of last October. I am deeply sorry for that.”
This comes after one of Al-Shamie’s collaborators, Mohammed Bashir, was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday for planning his own mass attack.
Detectives found that he had exchanged voice notes and messages containing extremist Islamic content with Al-Shamie, and that the pair had traveled together to the United Kingdom Defense Academy (UKDA) on a reconnaissance mission to plan an attack.
Seven weeks later, Al Shami chose the alternative target for a solo attack while Bashir was in Pakistan. Bashir’s accomplice was quickly identified and he was arrested upon his return to the UK.
Sir Stephen said he was able to share information about missed opportunities following the conclusion of the case against Bashir.
He added that future investigations into the deaths of the two men killed by Al-Shamie in the synagogue will examine “all aspects of the attack” and that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is also conducting a review.
He said it was for the IOPC and the coroner to determine the “impact” of police’s failure to examine the contents of Al-Shamie’s devices before the attack took place.
