An Islamist terrorist who killed two people in a horrific car and knife attack at a synagogue has been named.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, who was wearing what looked like an explosive vest, was shot dead by police just seven minutes after the first 999 call was made.

Our live coverage has now ended.

To stay up to date with major developments, keep checking the Daily Mail website.

Police have arrested 40 people after clashes with officers at a pro-Palestine protest near Downing Street.

Six arrests were ‘for assaults on police officers’ and the majority were for ‘breaching conditions’, the Metropolitan Police said.

The demonstration was organised by Global Movement for Gaza UK, the force said, adding: ‘Officers imposed Public Order Act conditions on the protest to keep roads open and prevent serious disruption.

‘Regrettably, a significant number of those present were intent on breaching the conditions, leading to clashes with officers who moved in to enforce them.

‘The protest has now dispersed and Whitehall has returned to normal. Officers remain in the area to deal with any further incidents.’

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis tonight said the terror attack had come following an ‘unrelenting wave of Jew hatred on our streets, campuses, on social media and elsewhere’.

He said: ‘This is the day we hoped we would never see, but which deep down, we knew would come.’

An Islamic terrorist who killed two people in a car and knife attack at a synagogue in Manchester has been named by police.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, a British citizen of Syrian descent, was shot dead by armed officers minutes after he targeted Heaton Park Synagogue shortly after 9.30am today.

Three other Jewish worshippers were seriously injured in the attack, which unfolded on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Al-Shamie entered the UK as a young child and was later granted British citizenship in 2006 when he was still a minor, it is understood.

It is not known whether he came to the UK as an asylum seeker or whether it was through another immigration route, such as ‘family reunion’ which can allow foreign nationals to join relatives already in Britain.

Three people were arrested shortly after the deadly knifings outside the synagogue.

Police revealed tonight they were two men, aged in their 30s, and a woman, aged in her 60s. They were taken into custody on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

Scenes remain in place on White House Avenue, Crumpsall and Langley Crescent, Prestwich, which are also linked to the arrests.

Greater Manchester Police has released more details about terrorist Al-Shamie.

They say he was a British of Syrian descent and its records do not show any previous referrals to Prevent – the government’s flagship anti-terror programme.

The force also confirmed that the two people killed in the rampage were men.

Three other men are in hospital with serious injuries – one with a stab wound, with the other hurt when he was struck by the car.

A third man later went to hospital with an injury that GMP says may have been sustained as officers stopped the attacker.

The police watchdog is investigating the fatal shooting of the synagogue terror attack suspect, as per its protocol.

Emily Barry, director of engagement at the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), said the probe was launched at midday and investigators ‘will attend the scene once it is appropriate to do so.’

She said in the statement: ‘It is our role when police fatally shoot a member of the public to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and following information that the man shot by police, who they believe was responsible for the attacks, was thought to have died, we declared an independent investigation at midday.

‘It is important in these circumstances that the police are able to continue their vital work, and there are established protocols we follow to ensure our role does not hinder their ability to conduct inquiries as part of their own investigations.

‘IOPC investigators are attending the police post-incident procedures and will attend the scene once it is appropriate to do so.’

Ms Barry added: ‘Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, as well as all those affected by the horrific events in Crumpsall today. This was an appalling act of violence that will have a lasting impact for so many people.’

The morning of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, began in quiet solemnity.

At Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Greater Manchester, hundreds of worshippers arrived on the crisp autumn morning.

Inside, prayers filled the sanctuary. Outside a security guard kept a watchful eye – now common practice since October 7 amid elevated risks to the Jewish community.

For a while, the day proceeded peacefully – worship, reflection, quiet conversation. Few could have anticipated the terror barrelling in their direction.

Then at around 9.30am, came the first sign of the horror that was about to unfold.

The sound of screeching tyres tore down Middleton Road followed by a crash shattering the peace inside.

Read the full story by the Mail’s Deputy Chief Reporter, Inderdeep Bains below:

Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has described the ‘visceral shock’ of turning on his phone after Yom Kippur and finding out about the attack.

He posted on X this evening:

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has visited a synagogue in London this evening.

By Richard Littlejohn

Shocked but not surprised. That was the resigned reaction of Britain’s Jewish community to the appalling terrorist attack at the Manchester synagogue.

It’s a sentiment I share. This was an atrocity waiting to happen. The police must have known something like this was in the offing, too, which is why they were able to react so swiftly.

Security had been stepped up at synagogues across the country, not just in Manchester, as the community came together to celebrate Yom Kippur.

Read the full story below:

The suspect’s name has not appeared in initial searches of police and security service counter-terrorism records, and he is not thought to have been under current investigation.

Further checks are being carried out to see if any of his details appear anywhere in records of other investigations.

A knifeman who went on a ‘barbaric’ rampage slaughtering two people at a synagogue is an Islamist terrorist, it can now be revealed.

Wielding a blade and a fake suicide bomb vest, the Islamist fanatic went on a six-minute stabbing spree leaving two dead and four seriously injured after crashing his car into Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester targeting worshippers on a sacred day of prayer, reconciliation and reflection.

Synagogues and Jewish organisations were on high alert tonight as extra police were dispatched across the UK to protect communities.

Read the full exclusive story below:

BBC radio presenter Emma Barnett has said she cried for her community after learning of the terror attack which took place outside the Greater Manchester synagogue she worshipped at as a child.

Manchester-born Barnett, 40, who presents BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, said she has not been to the temple in Crumpsall since she was 16 but still remembers ‘proudly holding my mum’s hand going to sit in the women’s gallery’.

In a Times column she wrote: ‘I saw the news alert flash up on my phone as I was leaving the BBC after presenting the Today programme.

‘My stomach dropped and churned. A killing at a synagogue? A place I should have been today and was at only a few days earlier celebrating Rosh Hashanah and taking our son and daughter to cheder, their Sunday school.

‘My seven-year-old boy doesn’t even ask about the airport-style security when we go in – it’s all he’s ever seen.

‘And then I realised the attack happened at my shul from my youth and felt very, very strange indeed.’

A Jewish leader has blamed ‘virtue-signalling politicians’ for pouring fuel on the fire of extremism after two people were killed in a terrorist attack at a synagogue.

In a damning statement this evening, Gideon Falter, the chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said the blood of British Jews was also on the hands of police chiefs, universities and the BBC.

He described today’s attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester as an ‘inevitable result’ of the ‘radicalisation’ that has been allowed to spread across the country.

Read the full story below.

Jewish people will now be turning on their phones for the first time and discovering the horror of what unfolded earlier today in Manchester.

The holiest day of the Jewish year ends when the sun has set.

Pro-Palestine protestors marching in Manchester tonight just hours after a deadly terror attack outside a synagogue in the city have been branded ‘disgusting’.

The march, which was pre-organised, is taking place at Manchester Piccadilly station on the same day that two Jewish people were killed by a knifeman outside the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester.

Read the full story below.

Pro-Palestine protesters have gathered in Parliament Square in London to demand protection for people on board the flotilla intercepted by Israel yesterday.

Greta Thunberg was among those hauled off the Global Sumud Flotilla as it neared the besieged Gaza Strip.

‘High alert. Our vessels are being illegally intercepted,’ organisers of the flotilla said.

‘Cameras are offline and vessels have been boarded by military personnel.

‘We are actively working to confirm the safety and status of all participants on board.’

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the Government ‘will do whatever is required to keep our Jewish community safe’.

She said in a statement alongside Manchester mayor Andy Burnham this evening: ‘I am horrified by the antisemitic terrorist attack at a synagogue on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

‘My prayers are with the victims and the families of all of those who are murdered here today.

‘I want to thank the police and all of the emergency services for the speed of their response and also for their considerable bravery.

‘The Government has stepped up security at synagogues across the whole of the country, and we will do whatever is required to keep our Jewish community safe.’

Mr Burnham added: ‘We ask everyone to show solidarity to the Jewish community this weekend, and already we’ve mobilised through our interfaith network messages of support and solidarity through places of worship.

‘We always will stand together here in Greater Manchester.

‘We will never let acts that are designed to cause hatred, division, in our communities, violence. We will never let them succeed.’

Pro-Palestine protesters have descended on Manchester centre just hours after a knifeman killed two people at a synagogue in the city.

The group of campaigners, who were carrying flags and signs with slogans such as ‘Stop Starving Gaza’, were surrounded by police.

A number of the protesters had their faces covered.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement:

Rabbi Daniel Walker blocked the entrance to the ‘packed’ Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, in Manchester, when it came under attack today.

He has been hailed a ‘hero’ for calmly shutting the doors of the building after the terrorist ‘started stabbing everyone he could get to’.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Chava Lewin said: ‘Rabbi Walker was incredibly calm, he shut the doors to the synagogue to stop him getting inside.

‘He barricaded everyone inside. He is a hero, this could have been even worse.’

Speaking after the Cobra meeting this afternoon, Sir Keir Starmer called for rising levels of anti-Semitism in the UK to be ‘defeated’.

He said: ‘To every Jewish person in this country, I also want to say this: I know how much fear you will be holding inside of you, I really do.

‘And so, on behalf of our country, I express my solidarity, but also my sadness that you still have to live with these fears. Nobody should have to do that. Nobody.

‘And so I promise you that I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve, starting with a more visible police presence, protecting your community. I promise you that over the coming days, you will see the other Britain, the Britain of compassion, of decency, of love.

‘I promise you that this Britain will come together to wrap our arms around your community and show you that Britain is a place where you and your family are safe, secure and belong.’

The Jewish community in Britain has faced ‘an increase in the climate of intimidation and fear,’ Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said.

She told the PA news agency this afternoon:

Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar has condemned the ‘appalling’ and ‘murderous’ attack on Jews in Manchester.

He added that the Jewish community of Britain is facing a ‘horrific wave of antisemitism’.

A ‘vest which had the appearance of an explosive device’ worn by the suspect in the Manchester synagogue terror attack was not viable, police have said.

The attacker was previously pictured outside the Heaton Park Synagogue on Middleton Road with a belt around his waist which looked like an explosive device.

The emergency Cobra committee meeting has now finished.

It lasted around an hour.

The Prime Minister rushed back from a European summit earlier today to hold the meeting.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson has voiced support for the Jewish community following the attack in Manchester.

Speaking to reporters in Belfast, he said:

Robert Rinder has asked for all Britons to stand by the Jewish people following the ‘awful’ attack on a Manchester synagogue today, declaring: ‘A community this small cannot stand alone’.

The broadcaster and barrister, 47, has said that ‘many Jews cannot imagine a future here and history tells us what follows when that happens’.

Mr Rinder told the Daily Mail today that the attack was truly ‘awful’.

In a tweet he criticised those who still allowed anti-Semitism to cloud their view on a horrific attack that left two worshippers stabbed to death on Yom Kippur – the most sacred and solemn day in the Jewish calendar.

‘Some still answer this atrocity with “what about…”’, he said.

Read more:

The deployment of several SAS ‘Blue Thunder’ helicopters complete with their elite military personnel is an echo of how the government has previously responded to other terror attacks on UK soil.

Notably in 2017, the Home Secretary dispatched SAS troops to hunt down suspects following the London Bridge terror attack (pictured).

Tributes to the victim’s of the terror attack outside Heaton Park Synagogue have been laid close to the scene.

Members of the public have been seen comforting one another throughout the day behind the police cordon after the attack took the lives of two members of the Jewish community on Yom Kippur.

Flowers have begun to be laid near the scene and were photographed by journalist on Thursday afternoon.

Bomb disposal officers have been pictured securing vital evidence at the scene of the terror attack at Heaton Park Synagogue, which took the lives of two members of the local Jewish community.

The attacker, who has not been named, drove a car at members of the public before stabbing them, was shot dead by police within seven minutes of the first 999 call.

This afternoon bomb squad officers were seen collecting evidence after the removal of his body, including what appeared to be a suicide explosive belt.

Police sources told the Mail they do not believe the device was viable, but the squad was called in after ‘suspicious items’ were found on the attacker’s body.

Four other people sustained serious injuries and remain in hospital.

The local ambulance service which responded to the terror attack at the synagogue in Manchester this morning is still on scene, as it was confirmed they took four patients to hospital.

In an updated statement, North West Ambulance Service said: ‘We are deeply saddened by the loss of life as a result of the horrific incident on Middleton Road, Crumpsall, this morning, and our condolences go out to all the victims, their families, and the broader Jewish Community across the North West.

‘Our crews assessed and treated patients at the scene and took four patients to local hospitals.

‘We can confirm that ambulances remain on scene to support the incident response.

‘We would like to thank our frontline colleagues and emergency responders for their professionalism and dedication in such challenging circumstances.

‘While there has been no impact on the ability to provide emergency care to the wider community as a result of this incident, we would like to remind people only to call 999 in an emergency. NHS 111 online is available for non-urgent health advice.’

An SAS ‘Blue Thunder’ helicopter has been seen landing close to the scene of the Heaton Park Synagogue this afternoon.

At least two specialist helicopters from the SAS were also spotted in the skies over Crumpsall, Greater Manchester.

The choppers landed in a field behind the synagogue. Teams of men, thought to be from the ‘Who Dares, Wins’ regiment, were seen piling out of the aircraft, carrying rucksacks and supported by a dog.

It’s thought the group of elite soldiers are supporting counter-terrorism police in their investigation.

Blue Thunder is the nickname given to the Eurocopter Dauphin II helicopters.

The Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin, a fast twin-engine helicopter, is modified for rapid insertion and extraction of special forces.

The twin-engine Dauphin helicopters, built by Airbus, have one or two pilots, and space for 11 or 12 passengers.

There are reportedly six of these Dauphin helicopters for 658 Squadron Army Air Corps, and they’re based at the SAS camp in Credenhill, Hereford, supporting 22nd Special Air Service (22 SAS).

Both Manchester football clubs released statements paying tribute to the victims of this morning’s terror attack.

Manchester United said: ‘The thoughts of everyone at Manchester United are with the victims of today’s tragic events in north Manchester and we offer our support to all those affected. #ACityUnited.’

And Manchester City said: ‘We are shocked and saddened by the tragic events which took place in Manchester this morning, and we are sending our support and condolences to all those affected during this difficult time.’

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has visited Greater Manchester Police HQ this afternoon following the terror attack in Crumpsall, it is understood.

She was given an update on the investigation, and will attend the Government’s Cobra briefing remotely later.

The Home Secretary is also understood to have spoken to Jewish leaders, including Marc Levy of the Jewish Leadership Council and chief executive of the Jewish charity Community Security Trust, Mark Gardner.

She is said to have expressed her ‘steadfast support’ for the Jewish community and pledged to do ‘everything possible’ to keep them safe.

Ms Mahmood also spoke with Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, and pledged to provide any support required by the city.

The suspected suicide belt worn by the attacker who killed two members of the Jewish community in Manchester today and left four other seriously injured is ‘not believed to be viable’, police sources have told the Mail.

The attacker was previously pictured outside the Heaton Park Synagogue on Middleton Road with a belt around his waist which looked like an explosive device.

Police sources have now said they don’t believe it was viable.

A bomb squad was deployed at the scene of the attack after the suspect was shot dead by police due to ‘suspicious items’ found on his person.

The Jewish Representative Council for Greater Manchester has said this afternoon that the terror attack which left two members of the community dead is ‘the culmination of two years of constant Jew hatred.

In a statement, a spokesperson said: ‘Today, on Yom Kippur – the holiest day of the Jewish year – our community’s worst fears came true when a terrorist attacked congregants as they entered the Heaton Park Synagogue on Middleton Road in Manchester.

‘This horrendous attack is the culmination of two years of constant Jew hatred targeting our community by those who wish to attack us because of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. It is an event that every Jewish person in the UK has feared.

‘Our thoughts and prayers are with those members of our community who have been injured in this attack and we will provide them and their families with all the support they require.

‘We want to thank GMP, CST and the other emergency services for their swift response and to the Government for their messages of support.’

Getting answers about today’s terror attack will ‘take time’ but enquiries are moving ‘at pace’, Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson has said.

‘Our priority is to keep the public safe. I want to share my gratitude to all of those members of the public who called the police as soon as they saw what was happening.

‘This allowed the quick response from our officers, who were able to act swiftly and bravely to bring this horrendous attack to an end.’

He added: ‘There will be lots of questions that people would like answers to and quickly, but please understand that some of this will take time,” he adds.

‘What I can say is that the highly visible response to these dreadful incidents will be sustained as we work to understand the full circumstances of what has happened.’

He also asked the public to refrain from sharing ‘disturbing and insensitive’ content online, including pictures of the victims of the attack.

Chief Constable of GMP Stephen Watson has told a press conference in Manchester: ‘We believe the identity of the offender has been established, but until we are certain of this fact, it is premature to set out this detail at this juncture.

‘We can confirm that two members of our Jewish community have sadly died as a result of this attack.

‘Following a rapid response, armed officers from Greater Manchester Police intercepted the offender and he was fatally shot by officers within seven minutes of the original call.

‘Four further people remain in hospital, having suffered a variety of serious injuries, and their treatment is ongoing, and our thoughts are with them and their families.’

He added: ‘At this time, we know that a car was driven directly at members of the public outside the Heaton Park Hebrew congregation synagogue on Middleton Road, Crumsall, in Manchester.

‘The driver of the car was seen then to attack people with a knife. He was wearing about his body a vest which had the appearance of an explosive device.

‘There were a large number of worshippers attending the synagogue at the time of this attack, but thanks to the immediate bravery of security staff and worshippers inside, as well as the fast response of the police, the attacker was prevented from gaining access.’

He added: ‘I can confirm that two other individuals have been arrested in connection with this incident, and urgent inquiries are ongoing.’

Sir Stephen confirmed that two members of the local Jewish community have died, and said his thoughts, and those of his officers, are with the families of those affected by today’s ‘horrific incident’.

The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police added it has now been confirmed that four people are in hospital with ‘a variety of serious injuries’.

Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson, of Greater Manchester Police is now giving an update on the terror attack at a Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester.

He said that the attacker was shot dead ‘within seven minutes’ of the first 999 call being made.

The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has just arrived back at 10 Downing Street where he will host a Cobra meeting following the terror attack in Manchester that has killed two people and left three others in a ‘serious’ condition in hospital.

Starmer had been in Copenhagen at a summit of top European leaders when the attack occurred.

He has dashed back to London to personally head up today’s Cobra meeting on the attack.

Starmer appeared stern-faced and serious as he was pictured entering No.10.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor has arrived at 10 Downing Street, ahead of a Cobra meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer following the terror attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester.

The Prime Minister earlier flew back early from a European summit in Copenhagen when he heard about the attack.

Cobra meetings are emergency gatherings, typically of top government ministers and agencies, that can be called in response to specific events such as terror attacks.

Earlier, Head of Counter Terror Policing and Met Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor confirmed the attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Thursday is being treated as a terror incident.

Listen to his statement here:

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said police forces would be stepping up patrols at synagogues and Jewish sites across the country, and urged members of the public to report anything suspicious.

He said: ‘Communities across the UK that would normally be marking this holy day are now grieving and worried about their safety. And I want to be clear, UK policing is mobilising and is mobilising fast.

‘Police forces are stepping up patrols across the country at synagogues and Jewish sites and more widely, to provide reassurance to all those communities who have been affected by this incident.

‘At counter terrorism police, we’re deploying all of our capabilities in response to what has happened, and we have resources from across our network involved.

‘We will ensure every piece of intelligence and line of inquiry is interrogated.

‘We’re working closely with the security services to ensure we have a full intelligence picture in the coming days and weeks following events in Crumpsall today.

‘I’d also like to ask the public to remain vigilant. Please report anything that doesn’t feel right to the police, and be alert to what is happening in your own communities.’

In the update given by Met Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor a short while ago, he revealed the police believe they know the identity of the attacker.

No details of who he is, or what his motive was, have yet been confirmed by officers.

The Assistant Commissioner said that ‘for safety reasons at the scene’ they would not be releasing his name at this stage.

The two men arrested in the aftermath of the attack have also not been named.

New images show a knife just inches away from the attacker’s body at the scene of the terror attack at a synagogue in Manchester today.

Pictures from the scene show a man lying on the ground, with a mobile phone, apparent suicide belt and knife all scattered around him.

Police have confirmed that the incident at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, Middleton Road, Crumpsall this morning that left two innocent victims dead was a terror attack.

The announcement was given by Assistant Commissioner of the Met Police Laurence Taylor.

He said the ‘devastating’ attack is being treated as a ‘terrorist incident’, and confirmed that two people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The investigation will be led by Counter Terror Police North West, it is understood.

Speaking outside New Scotland Yard, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing Assistant Commissioner Taylor said: ‘This morning, an appalling attack took place in Crumpsall in Manchester. Two people have died. The attacker has been shot dead by the police.

‘We believe we know their identity, but for safety reasons at the scene, we’re unable to confirm at this stage.

‘Three other members of the public are in a serious condition. We have also made two further arrests, and based on what we know, counter terrorism policing has declared this as a terrorist incident.’

Counter terrorism police are working with officers in Greater Manchester to investigate the attack.

Mr Taylor added: ‘Those who have been killed injured at the forefront of our minds as of their families, friends, and all of those who love them and attack them on Jewish community today on Yom Kippur is devastating.’

Police are scheduled to give an update on the investigation into the attack at the Heaton Park Synagogue shortly.

We are expecting to hear from counter-terrorism police in London and Manchester.

Armed cops have reportedly arrested two people just streets away from where an alleged terrorist wearing a suspected suicide vest went on a deadly rampage.

At least two people were killed in the attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, this morning.

A car was driven into a crowd and a man stabbed at 9.31am on Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Police said three other victims are in a serious condition after the attack.

The suspect, who was feared to be wearing an explosive vest, has also died after being gunned down by an armed officer, police this afternoon confirmed.

Locals living in nearby White House Avenue, which is about 1,500ft away from where this morning’s carnage took place, say two men were arrested by police.

The Prince and Princess of Wales said in a personal message posted on social media: ‘Our thoughts are with the victims and the families of the terrible attack at Heaton Park Synagogue.

‘The fact that this tragedy occurred on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more shocking.

‘We are thinking of the entire community as well as the emergency responders who attended this terrible incident.’

The message was signed ‘W & C’.

Residents living at the back of the synagogue were evacuated from their homes following the fatal stabbings.

Simon Collins, 61, is one of the residents who has been evacuated.

He said: ‘I heard the shots and then I heard the sirens. I thought it might have been gang-related, but I now know that it wasn’t, sadly.

‘I looked out of my window and saw all the emergency services.

‘It was carnage. I saw a guy wearing a white shirt, which was covered in blood walking towards the paramedics,

‘Then there was a paramedic trying to resuscitate someone on the floor. It was horrific.’

The Prime Minister has arrived back in the UK to chair a Cobra meeting following the attack in Greater Manchester.

Sir Keir Starmer, who landed back in the UK at around 2.30pm, will return to Downing Street before chairing the meeting.

He had been attending a European summit in Denmark when the incident occurred.

An SAS helicopter has been spotted responding to the attack in Manchester today.

The helicopter, dubbed ‘blue thunder’, is understood to be part of an airborne counter-terrorism initiative.

Cobra approval is needed to authorise the helicopter to respond, the BBC reports.

In a major update on the investigation following the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue attack, Greater Manchester Police released a statement on social media confirming the suspect shot by armed officers is dead.

The force said: ‘In response to today’s major incident in Crumpsall, a loud noise was heard at the scene as specialist resources gained entry to the suspect’s vehicle as a precaution.

‘There is no risk to the public and ongoing activity in relation to this major incident can be expected as we continue our inquiries.

‘People are urged to avoid the area and speak to our officers if they have any concerns. We have officers deployed across key sites in the local area.

‘We can confirm three people have died, including the offender, who was shot by GMP Firearms officers.

‘If you are worried about family or friends who may be involved in today’s incident at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, you can call the Casualty Bureau on 0800 056 0154 or complete the online form.’

Greater Manchester Police has confirmed that the suspect in the attack outside a synagogue which left two people dead this morning has also died.

‘We can confirm three people have died, including the offender, who was shot by GMP Firearms officers,’ a spokesperson said.

Police earlier confirmed that two members of the public had sadly passed away, and said the suspect was ‘believed to be dead’.

They could not confirm this immediately due to precautions over ‘suspicious items’ found on his body.

Images circulating online showed the suspect was wearing what appeared to be an explosive suicide belt. It is not known at this stage whether the belt was genuine or fake.

A ‘loud bang’ heard close to the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, which was targeted in a car and knife attack in Manchester this morning came as police officers gained access to the suspect’s vehicle, police have said.

In a pose on social media, a Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: ‘In response to today’s major incident in Crumpsall, a loud noise was heard at the scene as specialist resources gained entry to the suspect’s vehicle as a precaution.’

The Mail understands the noise was a result of the use of a pressurised water pump used to open the car.

Two men have been detained by police on a street close to the synagogue which was attacked, locals have said.

One local resident at White House Avenue, in Crumpsall, told the Mail there have been ‘lots of comings and goings, people seem to come and go a lot.’

They added the property that is at the centre of police activity is ‘a larger house that has been separated into flats’, and said they saw two men being led away in handcuffs.

They said armed officers ‘swarmed’ the avenue and dog units also attended, adding: ‘It’s such a tiny avenue, it was crazy, I couldn’t’ believe what I was seeing.’

A second resident added: ‘They’ve closed the road and there’s a police helicopter just over us. There were six or seven police cars with armed police,’ he added.

Footage online appeared to show officers detaining one of the men on White House Avenue.

Raphi Bloom, co-chairman of North West Friends of Israel, hit out at a ‘tsunami of Jew hatred’ since October 7 amid the conflict in Gaza and said the Jewish community ‘knew this would happen’.

He told the BBC he was on the way to the synagogue in Crumpsall when he heard about the attack.

He told BBC Radio 4’s World at One: ‘I would also like to start by saying that the synagogue where the attack took place is my synagogue. I was actually on my way there this morning when I received a call to say that there had been an attack.’

The incident is the ‘culmination’ of a ‘tsunami of Jew hatred that the Jewish community have been experiencing’ since October 7, 2023, Mr Bloom added.

He also told the BBC: ‘We knew this was going to happen. We feared it would happen.

‘This hatred has been allowed to go unchecked for far too long and this is the tragic and horrendous culmination of people wishing to target the Jewish community in the UK for a conflict that is happening 2,500 miles away.

‘We’re all entitled to a view. I have nothing against anybody who wants to be pro-Palestinian, but when you import that conflict onto our streets and you attack the Jewish people for that, that is Jew hatred and we have experienced it in waves for two years.’

The British Muslim Trust, a government-funded organisation that monitors incidents of anti-Muslim hate, has described the attack as ‘sickening’ and ‘utterly abhorrent’.

‘We utterly condemn this disgraceful attack and offer our support to those left to pick up the pieces,’ says Akeela Ahmed, the trust’s chief executive.

He continued: ‘In worrying times like these, we ask Muslims and all communities to look out for each other and remain vigilant. We know there are some who will seek to exploit this violence to deepen the division they seek – we must not let them.’

No details of the attacker’s identity have yet been released.

A heavy armed police presence remains on the scene outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester this afternoon.

Officers have also been spotted outside a house a quarter of a mile away, and had been seen searching nearby houses in the aftermath of the attack.

It is understood that officers from other UK forces have been drafted in to assist Greater Manchester Police.

A loud explosion has been heard at the scene on Middleton Road, Crumpsall.

The noise was thought to be the result of a controlled blast carried out by trained bomb squad officers who were called after ‘suspicious items’ were discovered on the suspect.

It was later confirmed the noise was in fact due to specialist equipment used to access the suspect’s car.

Members of the Armed Forces were also seen assisting officers and an expert robot was also deployed.

The chair of the Greater Manchester Police Federation has commended his officers’ bravery in the face of an ‘extreme threat’ following this morning’s attack at a synagogue in Manchester.

Two victims have died and another three remain in a ‘serious condition’ in hospital after the knife and car attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall at 9.31am.

Mike Peake, Chair of Greater Manchester Police Federation, said: ‘First and foremost our thoughts are with the families of those who lost loved ones in the horrific events this morning and we wish well to those still injured.

‘The bravery of our colleagues involved in this incident – running towards extreme danger and dealing with an extreme threat – is to be commended.

‘We can rightly be proud of our emergency services today. They are the best of the best in the most tragic of circumstances.

‘Greater Manchester Police Federation are offering all colleagues involved our full support.’

A street around a quarter of a mile down the road from the synagogue appears to be the focus of intense police activity.

Armed police stood guard outside of blue police tape at the cordon on White House Avenue in Crumpsall.

A number of police vehicles were parked further down the avenue, but the exact property they are attending could not be made out from the cordon.

A security source, who for decades worked in armed policing protecting the Royal Family and government ministers, said he the suspect’s suicide belt may have been genuine and that it ‘looked real’.

He said suicide belts are usually homemade – making it impossible to tell immediately.

Police simply can’t assess if it’s real in a ‘split second’ and therefore GMP officers were right to shoot to kill in case it went off, the source insisted.

‘Looking at the image of the suspect, he appears to have canisters around his waist and something is strapped to his chest. These could be filled with explosives and packed with marbles or ball bearings.

‘The armed officers at the synagogue today were left with a split-second decision and that had to be to neutralise him as soon as he moved.’

The leader of Manchester City Council has said Manchester ‘stands with our Jewish community at this darkest of moments’.

In a statement, councillor Bev Craig said: ‘We are all horrified by this shocking and reprehensible attack on members of Manchester’s Jewish community, on their holiest day.

‘Our thoughts are with those who have been killed and seriously injured, their loved ones and with everyone who has been affected by this awful incident.

‘We have been supporting our local community throughout the morning and offer our full support and love.

‘We will be working with Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and our local communities in the hours ahead to offer support and reassurance.

‘Manchester stands with our Jewish community at this darkest of moments and will come together as a city.’

Hospitals in Manchester have been put ‘on lockdown’ and have declared a major incident after a car was driven at a crowd and a man was stabbed next to a synagogue before the suspect was shot dead by police.

Six hospitals – Salford Royal, Fairfield General, Rochdale Infirmary and the Royal Oldham, North Manchester and Tameside General Hospitals –  have all been locked down following the incident in Crumpsall.

A source told the Daily Mail that some schools in the area had also been put on lockdown.

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Khurram Rafiq, who was driving past the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester this morning, said the silent attacker went from victim to victim in a ‘robotic’ manner like he ‘had a job to do.’

Mr Rafiq, 35, a manager for a global tech firm, told the Daily Mail: ‘I was driving into work this morning and further down the road I saw a car which was on the same side as mine but several vehicles in front suddenly swerve out and drive into someone on the pavement.

‘Initially I thought it was an accident and that the driver had lost control for whatever reason. But he then got out and stabbed the man who was lying on the ground.

‘This happened directly outside the synagogue. The knifeman walked through the front gates and stabbed at least two other men.

‘I would describe him as an Asian man and he was going for anyone who was Jewish, the men he stabbed were all wearing the kippur.

‘He was quiet, there was no shouting from what I could hear nor any religious slogans or chants, he was very robotic in his actions like he had a job to do and was just focused on doing it.

‘The entrance to the synagogue was locked shut. I could see him trying to get in, he was banging on the door and at one point looked to try and kind of jimmy open the door.

‘People were trying to distract him by throwing stuff like plant pots but nobody was going near him.

‘That, I think, was because round his waist he had what looked like a belt containing explosives. Whether they were real or designed purely to intimidate and cause fear, I can’t say.

Pictures from the scene of an attack on a synagogue in Crumpnall, Greater Manchester today appear to show the attacker with a possible suicide belt around his waist.

Video footage circulating online shows the moment police confronted the attacker, before one officer shouted the suspect had ‘a bomb’.

Eyewitnesses said the suspect was shot by officers before trying to get up off the ground, when he was shot again.

He is believed to have been killed.

Two members of the public have died following the car and knife attack, with three more in a ‘serious condition’ in hospital.

Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners Emily Spurell said forces across the country are making efforts to reassure Jewish communities.

‘I am shocked by this morning’s attack at a synagogue on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

‘My thoughts are with the Jewish community and all those caught up in this troubling incident.

‘I would urge people not to speculate about the circumstances and allow the police to investigate.

‘Forces nationwide are responding quickly with additional resources deployed to synagogues to reassure Jewish communities across the country everything is being done to keep them safe.’

Greater Manchester Police has said that anyone concerned about family or friends who may have been involved in the attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue should contact their dedicated Casualty Bureau.

Officers said members of the public can call the Casualty Bureau on 0800 056 0154.

A spokesperson added: ‘If you were involved in today’s incident and are safe, please make a report online. If you are safe please also let friends and family know. This will assist with information assessment and relieve pressure on Casualty Bureau who may receive a high volume of contact from the public.

‘If you have any other information that may assist the police investigation or took photos or videos of the incident, please contact us on the same, above details.’

Policing Minister Sarah Jones was asked whether she had any message for the Jewish community today who may feel very let down after Sir Keir Starmer recognised the state of Palestine.

She said: ‘Well, it’s an emerging situation. I can’t comment on it beyond that.

‘We are in touch with the police and I’m being kept informed. Anti Semitism has no place in our society, and we must make sure we’re protecting Jewish people against attacks. But this particular situation I’m not in a position to give more information.’

This is the ‘terrorist’ with a suspected suicide belt who killed at least two people outside a Manchester synagogue before being shot by police.

A car was driven at a crowd and a person stabbed at around 9.30am on Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Police said three other victims are in a serious condition after the attack outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall.

The suspect – who was shot at 9.38am – is also thought to be dead, but this will not be confirmed due to ‘suspicious items on his person’.

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Dave Rich of the Community Security Trust, a charity that monitors antisemitism in the UK, has said today’s attack came at a time of ‘significant security’ on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

He said: ‘Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year.

‘It’s a very solemn day and synagogues across the country will be full throughout the day.

‘There’s always a significant security operation in place between police and CST across the Jewish community on all major Jewish festivals.’

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson has praised the ‘quick response’ of a witness to the attack which allowed police to take ‘swift action’ to prevent the offender ‘from entering the synagogue’.

The spokesperson said: ‘We know today’s horrifying attack, on the Jewish community’s holiest day, will have caused significant shock and fear throughout all of our communities.

‘We are grateful to the member of the public whose quick response to what they witnessed allowed our swift action, and as a result the offender was prevented from entering the synagogue.

‘We remain in direct contact with all synagogues across Greater Manchester to provide reassurance and this will continue for as long as needed.’

Police urged anyone with images or footage of the incident to refrain from circulating them on social media but to share them directly with the force.

Eyewitnesses told how ‘hero’ rabbi Danni Walker barricaded the doors of the synagogue to prevent the attacker from entering.

Three people remain in a ‘serious condition’ in hospital following the car and knife attack that has led to the deaths of two members of the public.

‘A large number of people worshipping at the synagogue at the time of the incident were held inside while the immediate area was made safe, but have since been evacuated,’ they add.

Earlier Greater Manchester Police confirmed the suspected attacker is also believed to be dead.

Those in a ‘serious condition’ are believed to have been taken to local hospitals, which are currently subject to tighter security measures.

It was previously reported that several local hospitals were on ‘lockdown’.

Officers from counter-terror police are searching nearby houses in the wake of the fatal attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.

Army personnel have also been spotted at the scene as investigators begin tracing the movements of the attacker.

A short distance away from the synagogue in Crumpsall police officers armed with Heckler & Koch machine guns stood guard at the head of a path, between houses, leading up to the back of the synagogue.

Dramatic footage has emerged showing the moment armed police shot a suspected knifeman following a ‘marauding terror attack’ at a synagogue.

Two members of the public have died after a man ‘armed with a bomb’ rammed a car into the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue at 9.31am today.

The attack, which took place on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, has been declared a ‘Plato’ incident – the national code-word used by police and emergency services when responding to a ‘marauding terror attack’.

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The rabbi of the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall is understood to have barricaded the doors to the building in a heroic effort to save the lives of members of his congregation.

Rabbi Danni Walker was seen after the attack with blood on his white clothing.

The attacker, who is believed dead, was seen by eyewitnesses making stabbing motions through a window as he tried to force his way inside the building.

Eyewitness Chava Lewin, who lives next door to the synagogue, said: ‘My friend saw him [the attacker] crash the car near the synagogue.

‘At first she thought he’d had a heart attack. Then he got out and started stabbing everyone he could get to.

‘Rabbi Walker was incredibly calm, he shut the doors to the synagogue to stop him getting inside.

‘He barricaded everyone inside. He is a hero, this could have been even worse.

‘Some of the congregation were inside at the time but others were still arriving.

‘We saw someone being resuscitated in the courtyard. It’s so scary, we just don’t feel safe now.

‘To think someone would choose today of all days to attack us is horrifying.’

Heartbreaking pictures from the scene of today’s car and knife attack outside the Heaton Park Synagogue show a community in mourning.

Two people have died, with the attacked also believed to be deceased.

The King has said he and the Queen were ‘deeply shocked and saddened’ by the attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue this morning.

He said: ‘My wife and I have been deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the horrific attack in Manchester, especially on such a significant day for the Jewish community.

‘Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this appalling incident and we greatly appreciate the swift actions of the emergency services.’

Local residents have praised police for their response to the ‘horrendous’ incident in Manchester this morning.

Olivia Gold said she had friends who attend the synagogue.

She said: ‘It would have been very, very busy. I live around the corner, but I’ve walked around to give support. It’s now just police doing what they do.

‘I came out to see what was happening because I heard three helicopters.

‘It’s just horrendous. We’re a quiet community, just leave us alone. We don’t want any of this.

‘It’s just four people who have been injured – thankfully no one was killed as far as I know.

‘I think the response by police has been absolutely brilliant. They got here really, really quickly.’

Two people have died after the attack outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, Middleton Road, Crumpsall, police have confirmed.

A third person, a man believed to be the offender, was shot by GMP Firearms Officers and is also believed to be deceased.

Police say officers cannot yet confirm this due to ‘safety issues surround suspicious items on his person’.

The bomb disposal unit has been called and is now at the scene.

Three other members of the public are in a serious condition, GMP added.

One person is reported to have died and another is said to be fighting for their life in hospital following the attack on the synagogue in Crumpsall.

It is understood the person to have died is a member of the public.

Greater Manchester Police said it was called to an incident in Middleton Road, on Thursday where a man – who is believed to be the offender – was shot by firearms officers.

Police said it had ‘declared Plato’ – the national code-word used by police and emergency services when responding to a ‘marauding terror attack’.

Footage shared on social media appeared to show members of the public shouting to firearms officers that the suspect had a bomb strapped to him.

Several local hospitals are reported to be ‘on lockdown’ following the attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue this morning.

At least four people have been injured in the incident and taken to local hospitals.

Posts online suggest both the Salford Royal Hospital and Oldham Hospital are currently subject to the security measures.

A rabbi has described the attack at the synagogue as ‘every Jewish person’s worst nightmare’.

Rabbi Jonathan Romain, emeritus rabbi of Maidenhead Synagogue and current head of the Rabbinic Court of Great Britain, said he felt ‘appalled’ by what had happened,

He said: ‘This is every Rabbi’s or every Jewish person’s worst nightmare.

‘Not only is this a sacred day, the most sacred in the Jewish calendar, but it’s also a time of mass gathering, and the time when the Jewish community, however religious or irreligious, gathers together.’

He added: ‘This will obviously heighten the fears that many Jews have had, that political violence would spill over into religious hatred.’

The Jewish community has reacted with shock after four people were stabbed outside a synagogue in Manchester.

A car was driven at a crowd and a man was stabbed outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue at 9.31am today on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, before the suspect was shot by police.

A Jewish man at the scene said: ‘It is the holiest day of the year and we get this.

‘There is no place for Jews in Britain anymore. It’s over.’

More members of the community gathered at the scene, with some in tears and embracing one another.

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It is being reported that the suspected knifeman who injured four people outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester today may have been ‘armed with a bomb’.

Video footage circulating on social media has shown how police armed with assault rifles gunned down the male suspect.

Above the sound of car alarms ringing out, two officers were heard shouting at people inside the worship centre to ‘stay in, stay inside’, shortly after shooting the alleged attacker.

Then, as one officer yells at stunned witnesses to get away, the armed cops shockingly shouts: ‘He has a bomb, go away. Get back.’

A bomb disposal unit is currently at the scene.

An eyewitness to the incident in Manchester today has said the knifeman tried to force his way into the synagogue before he was shot by armed police.

Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, the delivery driver, who gave his name as Gareth, said: ‘We was just driving up the road, doing our normal deliveries.

‘Next minute, we were held back in a little bit of traffic, and we could see a car had crashed. So we just thought it were a normal collision.

‘We got a big closer. We seen a guy bleeding out on the floor. He was just basically unconscious on the floor, presumed, obviously, dead. And then literally, there was [another] a guy in front of the car. He just lay on the floor. We couldn’t really see him.

‘And then there was a few people stood in the road. Somebody shouted something in the school or the synagogue, or what [ever] it was.

‘And then, as we looked over, the guy had a knife, and he was just stabbing the window trying to get in the [synagogue].

‘And then within seconds the police arrived. They gave him a couple of warnings. He didn’t listen, so they opened fire. He went down on the floor, and then he started getting back up, and then they shot him again.’

Security at synagogues across the country will be deployed to protect Jewish communities, the Prime Minister has announced.

‘Additional police assets’ will be deployed, Sir Keir Starmer said as he flew back to the UK to chair a Cobra meeting.

He added: ‘We will do everything to keep our Jewish community safe.’

The Prime Minister said: ‘The attack in Manchester this morning is absolutely shocking, and all of our thoughts are with those affected.

‘I am on my way back to London. When I arrive, I will chair an emergency Cobra meeting. I’m already able to say that additional police assets are being deployed to synagogues across the country, and we will do everything to keep our Jewish community safe.

‘I’ve spoken to Mark Gardner of the CST [Community Security Trust], and Andy Burnham, the mayor of Manchester.

‘I want to thank the emergency services for the speed of their response.’

Police sources have told the Mail it is ‘too early’ to determine the attacker’s motive.

At least four people have been injured after a suspect drove a car at and stabbed members of the public outside the synagogue.

The events took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in the Jewish calendar.

The air ambulance remains at the scene of the attack outside a synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester this afternoon.

It has been spotted flying and hovering overhead, but has not been used, it is understood.

Kemi Badenoch described the incident in Greater Manchester as a ‘vile and disgusting attack’.

The Conservative leader told BBC Radio Bristol: “It does look like an outrageous attack on the Jewish community on their holiest day, Yom Kippur.

‘I think it is a vile and disgusting attack. I know that many Jewish people in our country feel that they’re no longer safe and my heart goes out to the people who have been hurt by this, and everyone who’s been affected.’

She added: ‘I want to say to Jewish people all around our country that you belong here. Britain is a country which will look after you.

‘We need to make sure that the rise in antisemitism that we’re seeing in our country is quelled completely.’

The local MP for Bury South, close to the constituency where the attack took place, is being updated in direct communication with Greater Manchester Police, he has said.

Christian Wakefield MP posted on social media and said: ‘Aware of this incident and in direct communication with GMP – I’m getting more details as they’re released.

‘For this to happen on Yom Kippur is horrendous, my thoughts and prayers are with those affected, I know how worried my Jewish community will be regarding this attack.’

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham confirmed one victim appeared to be a security guard who had been attacked with a knife, and said they could have prevented a ‘worse situation’.

He said: ‘It would seem that some of the security used by our colleagues in the Jewish community has really played a role here in preventing it being a worse situation.’

As a reminder, police confirmed earlier that the suspect did not manage to enter the synagogue itself.

The force added officers believe the suspect was working alone.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said she is ‘horrified’ by the attack in Manchester today.

She said: ‘I am horrified by the news of an attack at a synagogue in Manchester today, on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

‘My first thoughts are with the victims, our brave police and emergency services.’

She added on X, formerly Twitter, that she was ‘being kept updated’ by Greater Manchester Police and urged the public to ‘follow the advice of the emergency services’.

The Prime Minister will fly home early from a European summit in the wake of the synagogue attack.

He will return from Copenhagen to chair a Cobra meeting following the attack at a synagogue in Greater Manchester, it is understood.

A bomb disposal unit has arrived at the scene of the attack.

A white lorry marked ‘Bomb Disposal’ was seen pulling up and has gone behind the cordon outside the synagogue.

A Jewish man has said there is ‘no place’ for Jews in Britain as he reacted to the horror of the attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.

He said: ‘It is the holiest day of the year and we get this. There is no place for Jews in Britain anymore. It’s over.’

The area around the synagogue in Crumpsall, north of Manchester, has been swamped by dozens of police vehicles, along with fire and ambulance crews, while the force helicopter hovers overhead.

A number of black, unmarked police 4×4 vehicles and vans carrying plain clothes officers with face coverings were seen leaving the area of the incident at speed.

Streets surrounding the synagogue has been cordoned off with more police cars and vans, sirens blaring, racing down neighbouring roads.

Another Jewish man, among a group of shocked onlookers at the cordon, said his wife and daughter and other members of the congregation were still inside the synagogue.

Sir Keir Starmer has said he was ‘appalled’ at the attack at the synagogue in Crumpsall, adding: ‘The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific.’

In a statement, the Prime Minister added: ‘My thoughts are with the loved ones of all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services and all the first responders.’

Video shared on social media appeared to show police officers pointing guns at someone laying on the ground outside the front of Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.

The armed officers shouted at onlookers to ‘get back’ and ‘move on’.

The person on the ground is seen starting to get up before there is the sound of a gunshot and they fall to the ground.

Another person was shown lying motionless on the ground outside the synagogue gates with blood near their head.

Giving more details of the injured in this morning’s incident, Greater Manchester Police have said a security guard was stabbed.

Three other people were injured either by the car being driven at the public or after being stabbed, it is reported.

Four people have been injured after a car was driven at members of the public and a man was stabbed outside a synagogue before the suspect was shot by police.

Officers were called to the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue at 9.31am today on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.

A major incident has been declared by the police and ambulance service and police said it had ‘declared Plato’ – the national code-word used by police and emergency services when responding to a ‘marauding terror attack’.

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Photographs from the scene in Greater Manchester following the incident this morning show a very large emergency service response remain on scene.

Among those present are paramedics and armed police officers.

Greater Manchester Police declared ‘PLATO’ at today’s incident at a synagogue in Crumpsall.

The term refers to a UK national response plan for a marauding terrorist attack (MTA) involving a fast-moving, violent incident with an active threat to the public and responders.

This does not mean the incident was a terror attack, which will be assessed by police.

The events at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue fall on the holiest day of the Jewish religious calendar.

This evening marks Yom Kippur, with many Jewish people choosing to attend synagogues and fast throughout the day.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has said that ‘the immediate danger is over’ after the incident in Crumpsall this morning.

Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester: ‘It is a serious incident.

‘I can give some reassurance immediately to people that that immediate danger appears to be over and Greater Manchester Police have dealt with it very quickly.’

Greater Manchester Police has just released more details of an apparent attack at a synagogue in Crumpsall this morning.

A spokesperson said: ‘Police were called to the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, on Middleton Road, Crumpsall, at 9.31am by a member of the public, stating he had witnessed a car being driven towards members of the public, and one man had been stabbed.

‘GMP declared PLATO and a major incident at 9.37am. Shots were fired by Greater Manchester Police firearms officers at 9.38am. One man has been shot, believed to be the offender.

‘Paramedics arrived at the scene at 9.41 and are tending to members of the public, currently four members of the public with injuries caused by both the vehicle and stab wounds.

‘Members of the public are asked to avoid the area while the police continue to deal with the incident.’

Four people are reported to have been injured in the incident at a synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester.

A car was initially driven at members of the public and one person was stabbed, police have said.

Paramedics are still treating victims at the scene, the force said.

A suspect at the scene of the stabbings in Manchester has been shot, Greater Manchester Police has said.

The force did not give any details as to the condition of the suspect.

A spokesperson said they did not gain access to the inside of the synagogue and was shot by an armed police officer.

The North West Ambulance Service confirmed a major incident has been declared in Crumpsall, Manchester.

In a statement a spokesperson said: ‘Following reports of an incident on Middleton Road in Crumpsall, the trust has dispatched resources to the scene.

‘We are currently assessing the situation and working with other members of the emergency services.

‘Our priority is to ensure people receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible.’

There is a ‘major incident’ unfolding in Manchester after reports of ‘multiple people’ being stabbed at a synagogue.

The Mail will bring you all the latest information as soon as we have it.