Manchester synagogue terrorist was reported to police four years ago insist neighbours

The terrorist who attacked a Manchester synagogue had been flagged to police four years earlier amid fears he was turning into a radical Islamist.

A neighbour of Jihad al-Shamie, 35, revealed she raised the alarm after catching him preaching the Quran to youngsters on their peaceful residential street in Prestwich, reports The Times.

Cops are adamant that Shamie remained off the radar of counterterrorism officers before launching his car and knife rampage on worshippers at Heaton Park synagogue on Thursday, which claimed two lives and left three critically wounded. The news emerges as a Manchester survivor describes horror moment 'monster' tried to bash down synagogue doors.

Resident's 999 alert ignored by force

Yet speaking under conditions of anonymity on Monday, the neighbour revealed she dialled Greater Manchester Police about Shamie back in 2021 but was met with radio silence from the force.

The Times reported it secured video footage capturing Shamie outside the synagogue moments before he unleashed his attack. The surveillance camera clips show him driving back to the location in his vehicle, accelerating towards the gates protecting the congregation.

Associates of Shamie, who relocated to Britain from Syria as a youngster and secured UK citizenship in 2006, have revealed that he abandoned university, smoked cannabis, immersed himself in violent video games and dedicated considerable time to gym workouts.

The Express reached out to Greater Manchester Police for comment via email.

Ex-teacher describes odd behaviour of teenage attacker

A former teacher who instructed him for multiple years during his teenage period revealed on Monday that he was a "strange" and "weird" pupil. Despite lacking many friends at school, the teacher insisted that he never showed any extreme behaviour.

The neighbour claims Shamie underwent a dramatic transformation during the Covid pandemic, embracing devout Islamic practices.

She revealed that matters escalated when he started "preaching to two kids" in the street "as well about this Quran", prompting her to dial 999 and "reported the house" to police.

"They didn't come back to me. I remember making the call and speaking to Greater Manchester Police," the neighbour added. "Even though I'd grown up with the family, I still reported it because it wasn't right."

Asked if she noticed a significant change with Shamie, she said: "Yeah. You could tell [his faith] was deep."

Troubled schoolboy repeatedly punished for clashes

The former teacher revealed that during his school years he was repeatedly "sent to the quiet room" after arguments with his classmates.

"He used to keep himself to himself. His language wasn't that strong," the teacher said. "He was a bit strange and didn't have many friends. He was quiet, weird in a way.

"All the other kids would talk about football, cars, holiday, he wouldn't. I didn't pick anything extreme up though.

"During lunchtime other kids would play football and chat to each other, but he didn't."

The teacher added: "There was a little bit of trouble. We used to have a system called the quiet room when you'd be naughty and he'd have to spend all day in there. He was put there a few times for problems with other people."

Armed officers gunned down Shamie at the scene of the rampage at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Crumpsall.

Mourners pay tribute to hero gunned down stopping terrorist

A funeral took place on Monday for Adrian Daulby, 53, who is believed to have been inadvertently shot by police as they tried to stop the attacker from entering the synagogue.

Those gathered at the service heard how the quiet man "became a tremendously strong hero" during his community's moment of need.

Rabbi Daniel Walker said Daulby "didn't run away from danger", but leaped from his seat to block the doors of the synagogue as Shamie tried to get in to attack worshippers.

Hailing Daulby as a "great martyr", Walker said: "Adrian sits on the back row of the shul [synagogue]. When evil struck, he sought to secure the building. All of you who know and love Adrian know he was a quiet man. In that moment of need, that quiet man became a tremendously strong hero."

Synagogue remains frozen since moment of horror

Walker revealed that the synagogue had been "frozen in time" since the attack, with Daulby's prayer book still open on the page at the time the terrorist struck. His niece clutched the tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, to her chest outside Agecroft Jewish Cemetery.

Another niece said: "Our tradition teaches us, to save a single life is to save the world. Adrian did just that."

Sharon Baum, 53, who had been friends with the "friendly" and "unassuming" Daulby since they were children, said: "If you had gone up to him in school and said 'you're going to be a hero in 40 years', he would have said 'no way'."