GMP chief 'deeply sorry' after admitting synagogue attacker's phones were seized but never examined before Heaton Park killings
Sir Stephen Watson said data on Jihad al-Shamie's devices "would have inspired further investigative action" but was never reviewed before the October attack that killed two Jewish men. His friend Mohammad Bashir has been jailed for life for a separate planned terror attack.
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Greater Manchester Police's chief constable has apologised for a "missed opportunity" after admitting that mobile phones seized from the Heaton Park synagogue attacker were never examined before he killed two men.
Sir Stephen Watson said devices belonging to Jihad al-Shamie were seized during two separate arrests in February and September 2025. But the data, which contained substantial evidence of an extremist mindset, was never reviewed before the attack on October 2 that year.
Watson said: "There can be little doubt that the information contained within these devices would have inspired further investigative action. It is clear that our not having reviewed the data available to us prior to the attack constitutes a missed opportunity."
He added: "I am disappointed at the prospect of adding to the distress of all of those affected by the terrible events last October. For this, I am deeply sorry."
Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, were killed in the deadliest antisemitic attack in Britain in recent memory. Shamie attacked the synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, wearing a fake suicide belt. He was shot dead by police.
What happened with Bashir?
The admission came as Shamie's friend Mohammad Bashir, 31, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years for preparing acts of terrorism.
Bashir pleaded guilty to driving Shamie on a 10-hour round trip to the UK Defence Academy at MoD Shrivenham in Swindon in August 2025 for hostile reconnaissance. Normally up to 4,000 staff, contractors, students and visitors are on site at any given time.
Prosecutors said there was no evidence linking Bashir to the Heaton Park attack, but that the planned assault on the defence facility was "similar in nature and would have caused multiple fatalities."
Judge Cheema-Grubb described Bashir as a "fully committed jihadist" and said the pair were "equally engaged" in planning an attack
Frequently Asked Questions
- What did Greater Manchester Police apologise for?
- GMP apologised for failing to examine mobile phones seized from Jihad al-Shamie during two arrests prior to the Heaton Park synagogue attack. The devices contained evidence of extremist views.
- Who is Mohammad Bashir?
- Mohammad Bashir is a 31-year-old man who was sentenced to life in prison for planning a separate terrorist attack on a UK military facility alongside Jihad al-Shamie.
- Is the police conduct being investigated?
- Yes, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is currently reviewing Greater Manchester Police's past investigations into al-Shamie.