British police have apologised for failing to examine evidence that could potentially have helped prevent last year’s deadly attack on a Manchester synagogue, as an associate of the
attacker was sentenced to at least 17 years in prison for his role in planning earlier terrorist activity.
Mohammad Asim Bashir, 31, admitted last month that he drove Jihad Al-Shamie to the UK Defence Academy in Oxfordshire in August 2025, where they carried out hostile reconnaissance as part of preparations for a possible attack.
At Manchester Crown Court on Thursday, Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb described Bashir as a “committed jihadist” who had actively supported Al-Shamie’s plans. She sentenced him to a minimum of 17 years in prison.
Messages exchanged between the two men showed discussions about violence and revealed antisemitic beliefs, prosecutors said.
Six weeks after the Oxfordshire visit, Al-Shamie carried out an attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester. He drove a vehicle into pedestrians before attacking worshippers with a knife.
One Jewish worshipper was killed in the stabbing, while another person died after being accidentally shot by police responding to the incident.
Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian heritage, told officers he was acting on behalf of Islamic State before he was shot dead by police.
Police acknowledge investigation failure
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Chief Constable Stephen Watson issued an apology, saying the force had missed an opportunity by not reviewing data taken from Al-Shamie’s devices before the attack.
Al-Shamie had been arrested twice before the synagogue attack — first in February 2025 over an alleged breach of a non-molestation order, and later in September over an alleged rape.
His electronic devices were seized during those investigations, but their contents were not examined until after the deadly synagogue attack, the court heard.
“It is clear that our not having reviewed the data available to us prior to the attack constitutes a missed opportunity,” Mr Watson said.
He added that the impact of the failure would be examined by the Independent Office for Police Conduct and by official inquests into the deaths.
“There can, however, be little doubt that the information contained within these devices would have inspired further investigative action,” he said.
Ten-hour journey to defence site
The court heard that Bashir drove Al-Shamie on a 10-hour round trip from Manchester to the UK Defence Academy in Oxfordshire, which provides training and education for military personnel and government officials.
Prosecutors said the journey was part of efforts by the pair to gather information before carrying out possible terrorist activity.
Following the synagogue attack in October 2025, Al-Shamie called police and said: “I pledge allegiance to the Islamic State and I have killed two Jews.”
The case has raised questions over whether earlier intervention could have prevented the attack, with investigations continuing into the handling of evidence before the killings. Photo by Rept0n1x, Wikimedia commons.
