Manchester, England — Two people from the Jewish community were killed after an attack at a Jewish synagogue in Manchester, England on Thursday
The incident happened at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue as worshippers marked Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Manchester police say the suspect believed to be, 35-year-old Jihad al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent, drove into pedestrians then began to stab people.
He was wearing what looked like a vest with a bomb in the crime scene, but authorities later confirmed it was not a live explosive.
Armed police then shot him dead at the scene. Meanwhile, three others are in serious condition.
The motive of the attack is still under investigation.
But Britain’s top counter-terrorism officer has declared the case a terrorist incident.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer meanwhile, pledged tighter security and expressed solidarity with Britain’s Jewish community.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar however, criticized Britain, saying it has failed to curb rising antisemitism or prejudice against Jews.
Antisemitic incidents in Britain have surged according to the British Community Security Trust, with more than 1,500 cases recorded this year.