Friend Of Manchester Synagogue Attacker Jailed For Life After Defence Academy Reconnaissance

A Manchester man has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years after admitting he helped prepare an act of terrorism linked to the Heaton Park Synagogue attack.

Court Ruling and Sentence

Mohammad Bashir, 31, of Cheetham Hill, pleaded guilty to one count of preparing an act of terrorism and was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court. Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said that by August 2025 Bashir had become a "firmly committed jihadist" and was "equally engaged" with Jihad Al-Shamie in planning an attack on a British military target in which they expected "to kill and be killed."

CCTV footage showed Bashir and Jihad Al-Shamie discussing plans at a mosque in Manchester [PA Media]

"I consider you remain dangerous. You have given no grounds that your attitude has really changed at all."

Reconnaissance Trip And Evidence

On 14 August 2025 Bashir drove Al-Shamie, 35, on a 10-hour round trip to the UK Defence Academy in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire, where they conducted hostile reconnaissance. The stop at the site — which trains British military personnel, Civil Service staff and international students — lasted around 13 minutes. Al-Shamie recorded notes on his phone under the heading "espionage."

Both men disposed of their phones after the trip, but investigators accessed cloud backups and recovered WhatsApp exchanges, CCTV and internet searches. Officers found messages showing shared extremist views, repeated antisemitic remarks, discussions about preparing for "war," and searches for "weapons, potential target sites, and individuals with links to the Israeli military." CCTV also captured the pair talking at the Al Sunnah Mosque in Manchester on 9 August 2025.

Jihad Al-Shamie (pictured) attacked Heaton Park Synagogue just weeks after driving to Oxfordshire with Bashir [Facebook]

Connection To Heaton Park Synagogue Attack

Weeks after the reconnaissance trip, Al-Shamie carried out the Heaton Park Synagogue attack during a Yom Kippur service. He drove a Kia Picanto into the synagogue gates and then attacked worshippers with a knife. Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were fatally wounded; Al-Shamie, who wore a fake suicide belt, was shot dead by police at the scene. Authorities say there is no evidence Bashir knew of Al-Shamie's plan to attack the synagogue.

Investigation, Arrest And Official Response

Counter-terror police linked Bashir to Al-Shamie after forensic examination of Bashir's phones following the October 2025 attack. Bashir travelled to Pakistan after the synagogue attack but was arrested on return at Manchester Airport. Prosecutors said the pair had discussed an attack on the Defence Academy involving weapons that could cause multiple fatalities and have national and international impact.

Greater Manchester Police has acknowledged a "missed opportunity" to gather intelligence on Al-Shamie before the attack, and Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson issued an apology. Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts described Bashir as a "dangerous individual" and said the sentence should act as a deterrent to others considering extremist activity.

Defence Case And Court Observations

Bashir's defence argued he had a "change of heart" after the reconnaissance trip, but the judge rejected that claim. Observers noted Bashir smiled at family members in the public gallery as he left the dock following sentencing. The court concluded there was no credible evidence he had abandoned his extremist beliefs.