British police have apologized for a "missed opportunity" to potentially prevent a fatal attack on a Manchester synagogue last year. The apology comes as an associate of the attacker was sentenced to a minimum of 17 years in prison for assisting in hostile reconnaissance of a UK defense site.
Mohammad Asim Bashir, 31, admitted in August 2025 to driving Jihad Al-Shamie to the UK Defence Academy in Oxfordshire for reconnaissance. During Bashir's sentencing at Manchester Crown Court, the judge described him as a "committed jihadist" who had actively planned a terrorist attack with Al-Shamie. Messages exchanged between the two men revealed discussions about violence and antisemitic sentiments.
Six weeks after their trip to Oxfordshire, Al-Shamie drove a car into pedestrians and then attacked worshippers at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue. One Jewish worshipper died from stab wounds, and another person was accidentally killed by police during the incident. Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent, was shot dead by officers after telling them he was acting for the Islamic State.
Prosecutors stated that Al-Shamie had been arrested twice prior to the attack: in February 2025 for allegedly breaching a non-molestation order and again in September of the same year for an alleged rape. His mobile devices were seized during these arrests, but the data on them was not examined until after the synagogue attack.
Chief Constable Stephen Watson of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) issued a statement expressing deep regret that the force had not reviewed the data from Al-Shamie's devices, which he acknowledged contained significant evidence of the attacker's mindset. "It is clear that our not having reviewed the data available to us prior to the attack constitutes a missed opportunity," Watson said. He added that the information on the devices "would have inspired further investigative action."
Bashir's role involved driving Al-Shamie on a 10-hour round trip from Manchester to the UK Defence Academy in August 2025. In October of that year, Al-Shamie carried out the attack on the synagogue, subsequently calling the police and stating, "I pledge allegiance to the Islamic State and I have killed two Jews."
GMP has indicated that the Independent Office for Police Conduct and inquests into the deaths will determine the full impact of the failure to review the seized devices. The court heard that Bashir enthusiastically planned the attack with Al-Shamie.