Former minister's father-in-law present at 'chilling' Manchester synagogue attack

3 months ago 27

A erstwhile Tory furniture curate has revealed that his father-in-law was contiguous astatine the Manchester synagogue onslaught arsenic helium called connected the nationalist to "stand unshaken against hate".

Sir Grant Shapps, who is Jewish, said it was "chilling" to perceive his father-in-law's "first-hand account" of the onslaught astatine Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation connected Thursday, successful which 2 men were killed.

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In a station connected X, Sir Shapps, who has served successful assorted Conservative furniture posts, including location caput and defence secretary, said: "Yesterday's violent onslaught connected Manchester's synagogue was an battle connected the Jewish assemblage and our shared humanity; proceeding my father-in-law's chilling first-hand relationship brings location the horror, arsenic we mourn the lost, commune for the injured, and basal unshaken against hate."

Elaborating connected the account, Sir Shapps told The Times paper that his father-in-law, Michael Goldstone, came "face-to-face" with al Shamie from wrong the synagogue, wherever helium is simply a subordinate of the congregation.

He said: "He was face-to-face with the terrorist, holding the wrong of the door, arsenic helium tried to interruption down the beforehand doors.

"They locked the doors erstwhile the car crashed into the gate, which prevented much killings."

The 2 men killed extracurricular the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue successful Thursday's onslaught person been named by police arsenic Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66.

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One of the victims killed successful yesterday's onslaught was shot mistakenly by officers during the equipped response, Greater Manchester Police believe.

The fishy has been named arsenic Jihad al Shamie - a 35-year-old British national of Syrian descent.

He is understood to person been granted British citizenship successful 2006, having entered the UK arsenic a young child.

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His household person condemned the "heinous" attack, which they said targeted "peaceful, guiltless civilians".

"We afloat region ourselves from this onslaught and explicit our heavy daze and sorrow implicit what has happened," his relatives wrote connected societal media.

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Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has confirmed to Sky News that the perpetrator was not known to counter-terror constabulary and that helium had not been referred to the government's anti-terrorism strategy Prevent.

In a sojourn to the country of the onslaught connected Friday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said "this was a dreadful attack, a violent onslaught to inflict fear. Attacking Jews due to the fact that they are Jews.

"It's truly important contiguous that the full state comes together, radical of each faiths and nary faith, basal successful enactment and solidarity with our Jewish community," helium said.

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