A man has run over with his vehicle and has later stabbed members of the Jewish community who attended on Thursday morning, the religious service of the Heaton Park synagogue, in Manchester, during the celebration of the Yom Kipur, the most important party of the Jewish community. Two people have died and three others have been injured, one of them with a white weapon, according to the police. One of the victims was a security guard. The suspect has been shot down by the agents before he got into the building.
The police have not yet confirmed if the attacker has died, “for the suspicious objects he brought with him.” For this reason, a unit of the artifiers has moved to the area to rule out, with the help of a robot, if the alleged murderer carried an explosive.
A video issued by the BBC on its website shows the police officers who have approached the synagogue shouting to the faithful that were already the people in the area “everyone behind, has a bomb, get away”.
Another image, whose authenticity has been verified by the service BBC Verify From the public chain, it shows the suspect with a vest around him who hangs small white sacks. He is a bald man, with a beard and dark clothes.
Around 13:15 (14:15, in Spanish peninsular hours) a strong explosion has been heard in the area. Everything suggests that it was a detonation controlled by the artificial team.
The synagogue, in the north of the British city, remains cordoned off at this time.
“The police received a call from a citizen at 9.31 [10.31, horario peninsular español] From the Synagogue of the Heaton Park Congregation, in Middleton Road. He claimed to have witnessed how a vehicle had directed a group of people, and how one of them had been stabbed, ”he reports in a statement from the Greater Manchester police, the city’s metropolitan area.
“It is a serious incident, and I ask citizens to avoid approaching that area. But at the same time I can ensure that imminent danger seems to have disappeared,”. “The police have taken care of the situation very quickly,” he explained.
The synagogue had the presence of many faithful. “The majority were retained inside the building while ensuring the area that surrounds it. They have already been all evacuated,” the authorities explained.
A witness, who has identified as Gareth, explained to the BBC how the suspect had tried to hit with his knife one of the windows of the building to try to access its interior. “In a few seconds, the police have arrived, has launched a couple of warnings and, not attending them, have opened fire,” he said. “When trying to join, they have triggered again,” he added.
Greater Manchester police have immediately activated the so -called Plato Operation, which puts on guard and forces to follow a few concrete steps to all emergency services and hospitals in the area.
Agents of the anti -terrorist unit track some homes on White House Avenue, near the synagogue, in an operation that has not yet completed. The Analysis Center for the joint anti -terrorism unit, in charge of regularly ruling the level of terrorist alert in the country, is studying the possibility of raising it. Currently, it is located at level three, on a scale of five.
During the Yom Kipur celebration, the Jewish community fasts for 25 hours and attends religious services in the synagogues.
descendant of Polish immigrants, has expressed in a statement his stupor: “I am shocked with the attack on the Crumpall synagogue [el barrio de Mánchester]. The fact that it happened during the Yom Kipur, the most sacred day of the Jewish calendar, makes the incident even more terrifying. My thoughts are with all the loved ones of those affected, and I thank emergency services, ”he said.
Starmer has suspended his presence at the top of the European political community, which was held this Thursday in Copenhagen, and has decided to return to London. A crisis meeting that concentrates all the ministries affected by the incident will preside over the Cobra Cabinet meeting.
All Manchester synagogues have coordinated to strengthen their safety after having news from the attack. The Jewish Organization Community Security Trust, has assured that “it already works with the police and with the local Jewish community, after the serious incident of the synagogue of the north of Manchester.” The organization has assured that “everything indicates that it is a horrifying attack on the most sacred day of the Jewish calendar.”
The prime minister has instructed for the safety reinforcement, with a greater number of police, to extend all the United Kingdom synagogues., Starmer said.
The Buckingham Palace has also issued a statement in which Kings Carlos III and Camilla say “being deeply shocked and sad” by the Manchester attack, “especially on such a significant day for the Jewish community.”
