Two Iranian men have been charged with plotting a terror attack on the Jewish community in Manchester, UK police said Friday. The arrests come nearly a year after a deadly knife and gun attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in northern Manchester where worshippers had gathered for Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Two people died in the attack on October 2, 2025. “Salam Ahmadyan 36 of Liverpool and Rahman Salehi 34 of Salford, both Iranian nationals, were arrested in Manchester on Sunday, 20 September,” Friday’s police statement said. “It is alleged that the two men were in contact with an overseas third-party who may be in Iran in relation to the plot,” it added. Details of the alleged plot have not been released, but police have confirmed its “disruption”. “We do not believe there to be any ongoing threat to the public in relation to this matter,” Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said in the statement. “We would ask that people remain vigilant and contact police with any concerns,” she added. Home minister Shabana Mahmood said: “These recent events are a stark reminder of the threats posed against this country from both terrorists and foreign state actors. “Two suspects have been charged with planning a terrorist attack against Jewish communities in Manchester. This news will be deeply distressing for our Jewish communities, coming so soon after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. I know this will be especially true in Manchester, as we mark one year since the terrorist attack at Heaton Park Synagogue. “The fact both suspects arrived by small boat several years ago is a reminder of the importance of our relentless work to tackle illegal migration into this country. While numbers are down, I know there is more we must do,” she added. The past year has seen a spate of attacks in the British capital targeting Jewish or Israel-linked locations. The two men are due at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday.
