Two Iranian nationals have been arrested in the United Kingdom on suspicion of plotting an attack against the Jewish community in Manchester during Yom Kippur. British police said Rahman Salahi, 35, and Salameh Ahmadian, 36, allegedly attempted to obtain components and equipment for an improvised explosive device and a chlorine bomb.
They are also suspected of conducting surveillance of potential targets ahead of a planned attack during the Jewish holiday. According to police, the two suspects were also in ongoing contact with individuals in Iran who allegedly directed and assisted them in planning the attack.
The suspects were due to appear before a court in London on Saturday as authorities sought to extend their detention. The UK Home Office said one of the men had been granted legal status as an asylum seeker, while the second had submitted an asylum application that remains pending.
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the arrests highlight the threat posed by Iran to Britain and its Jewish communities. "There is no secret that the UK faces a range of serious threats from the Iranian regime. They target our Jewish communities and try to silence critics abroad, often through agents and criminal networks to hide their involvement," Cooper said. "Two suspects have been charged with planning a terror attack against Jewish communities in Manchester. This news will cause deep distress to our Jewish communities, as it comes just a short time after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur."
Cooper noted that the arrests come as Manchester's Jewish community marks the first anniversary of the terror attack at the Heaton Park synagogue. "I can say that we will act decisively and relentlessly to protect our Jewish communities, uproot antisemitism at its root in this country, and ensure the security of our borders," she said.