Faraj al-Shamie, the father of the Manchester synagogue attacker, praised Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attackers as “Allah’s men on earth,” according to a Facebook post reviewed by the Telegraph on Friday.
Shamie, a trauma surgeon who is said to live in state-funded housing in Britain, allegedly wrote that Hamas’s invasion into southern Israel in 2023 “proved beyond a shadow of a doubt” that Israel would be destroyed eventually.
The discovery of his social media posts came after Shamie issued a statement claiming “profound shock” at his son’s attack.
“Where is this so-called resistance with the Haifa rockets... May God’s curse be upon the hypocrites, the traitors pledged to a disgusting and filthy sectarian agenda – the moment of truth is inevitably coming,” he wrote on October 10, 2023, complaining of a lack of support from Arab nations as rockets were launched at Israel by both Hezbollah and Hamas.
“You told me [about the] Haifa rockets... Our brothers in Palestine are publicly asking for help from anyone who still has a part of honour or humanity, but with God’s permission, they will be victorious, oh you who sold your religion, your honour and your humanity to the mullahs of Tehran, and whoever sells his honour, there is no hope from him... As for the Arab governments, leave them to wander blindly in their tyranny. Long live the brave men of Gaza #Palestine_is_Arab.”
Despite his celebration of the attacks, he reportedly worked for the Red Cross as a trauma surgeon in Sudan.
Two Jewish men, Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz, were killed at Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester after 35-year-old Syrian-born British citizen Jihad al-Shamie rammed into the synagogue and began stabbing congregants. The attack occurred on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
At the time of the attack, Jihad had been released on bail after being accused of rape.
Following the synagogue attack, the family said in a Facebook post on their father’s account: “The news from Manchester regarding the terrorist attack targeting a Jewish synagogue has been a profound shock to us.
“The Al-Shamie family in the UK and abroad strongly condemns this heinous act, which targeted peaceful, innocent civilians.
“We fully distance ourselves from this attack and express our deep shock and sorrow over what has happened. Our hearts and thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we pray for their strength and comfort.
“We kindly request that all media outlets respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time and refrain from using this tragic event in any context that does not reflect the truth.”
What is known about Jihad al-Shamie?
Jihad al-Shamie was born in Syria and lived there only shortly with his younger brother Jawad. Along with his family, he moved to Britain at a young age.
At one of the addresses he is registered at, he is said to be a “full-time father,” according to the Telegraph.
The 35-year-old is suspected of being the same person who sent threatening emails to pro-Israel politicians under the name ‘Jihad Alshamie.’
Tory MP John Howell told The Jerusalem Post in 2012 that he feared for his life over his support for the Jewish state.
"We have no intelligence that the individual named in connection to the tragic attack in Manchester has ever been linked to any TVP investigation,” Thames Valley Police Chief Superintendent Emma Baillie told Sky News.
"We take any threats of violence extremely seriously, but Thames Valley Police has no record of ever receiving any reports relating to an individual named Jihad Alshamie or Jihad al Shamie."