Two Iranians Charged in Alleged Manchester Terror Plot Targeting Jewish Community

Two Iranian nationals, who arrived in the UK by small boat, have been charged with preparation of terrorist acts for an alleged plot targeting the Jewish community in Manchester. Salam Ahmadyan, 36, and Rahman Salehi, 34, were arrested on September 20 and charged on October 2.

Counter-terrorism police stated that the men were allegedly in contact with an overseas third party, potentially Iran, regarding the plot. Officers reportedly found a document detailing how to make a chlorine bomb and video instructions for creating improvised explosive devices.

The alleged plot comes nearly a year after a deadly terror attack at Heaton Park synagogue and on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the news as "deeply distressing" for the Jewish community.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, called the charges "extremely serious" and stated that officers had disrupted "what we believe to have been a plot targeting the Jewish community in Manchester." She added that there is no ongoing threat to the public but acknowledged the concern within the Jewish and wider community.

Marc Levy, chief executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester, called the arrests an "incredibly concerning time" for British Jews, referencing the previous attack at Heaton Park synagogue that killed Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby. Levy emphasized the need for the government to address the root causes of hatred and extremism that motivate such attacks, rather than solely focusing on security measures.

This alleged plot marks the third time the Manchester area has been targeted by terrorists in two years.