The father of the Manchester synagogue attacker praised the October 7 Hamas terrorists as “Allah’s men on earth” on the day of the massacre that killed over 1,200 people in Israel.
Faraj Al-Shamie, whose son Jihad carried out Thursday’s deadly attack on the Heaton Park synagogue that left two people dead, posted on Facebook saying “May God protect Palestine and its heroic people” after Hamas launched its devastating raid on Israel.
Britannia Daily can reveal that trauma surgeon Al-Shamie later described Israel as a “terrorist state” on his Facebook profile, where he has made regular posts on the civil war in Syria and the Israel-Hamas war.
October 7 Posts Revealed
Mr Al-Shamie said in his post on October 7 that the attack by the “Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades” had “proved beyond a shadow of a doubt” that Israel would “not remain. The posts were made on the same account that he later used to share a statement in which he and the Al-Shamie family in Britain and abroad expressed “profound shock” after his son’s synagogue terrorist attack.
According to translations, he wrote about the Hamas terrorists: “Men like these prove that they are men of God and regardless who leads them, they are the real compass of men who are confident of their victory.”
He also appeared to urge the terrorists to “take good care of your weapons and aim them accurately” before signing off with: “May God bless you”.
Further Inflammatory Posts
On October 10, 2023, three days after the devastating attack, Mr Al-Shamie appeared to describe the actions of Hamas as a “miracle on all levels,” but also urged the terror group to release vulnerable hostages, including the elderly and children.
The Telegraph translated another post from October 10 that appeared to question why Hamas was not being supported by Arab nations. According to the newspaper, he wrote: “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.”
In other Facebook posts, he appeared to support the Iranian missile attack against Israel in June and shared a video of a Palestine protest in Manchester. When relating to Iran’s attacks on Israel, he reportedly wrote: “We are waiting for more” and “your goods are being returned to you.”
Family’s Response to Attack
In a Facebook post on Al-Shamie’s account today, distancing the family from the attack, he described it as a “heinous act.”
“The news from Manchester regarding the terrorist attack targeting a Jewish synagogue has been a profound shock to us,” the statement read.
“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.”
Background on the Attacker
Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, a British citizen of Syrian descent, was shot dead by police after driving a car into worshippers outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
The attack killed Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, both from Crumpsall, and left three others with serious injuries. Al-Shamie is understood to have entered the UK as a young child and was granted British citizenship in 2006 when he was around 16 years old.
Reports suggest Faraj Al-Shamie has worked as a trauma surgeon for several NGOs in war zones across the world, including in South Sudan during the civil war. His son Jihad is understood to have worked as a tutor teaching English and computer programming.
Investigation Continues
Three other people have been arrested on suspicion of planning a terror attack in connection with the killings – two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said it was “too early” to say if there was a terrorist cell behind the attack on Greater Manchester, as police continue their investigation into what motivated the deadly assault.
The revelations about Faraj Al-Shamie’s social media posts are likely to raise further questions about whether warning signs were missed in the lead-up to Thursday’s attack, which has sent shockwaves through Britain’s Jewish community.
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