Two Iranian men, Rahman Salehi, 34, from Salford, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, from Liverpool, have been charged with preparing attacks on Manchester’s Jewish community, including the Heaton Park synagogue. This revelation came during a court hearing where it was disclosed that the men had identified a synagogue previously subjected to a fatal terrorist attack as a target for an alleged homemade bomb plot.
Court Appearance
The two men appeared in Westminster magistrates court on Saturday morning, wearing grey overalls. Through a Kurdish interpreter, they confirmed their names, dates of birth, and addresses. They were charged with preparing to commit an act of terrorism or assisting another to commit an act of terrorism on Friday.
Allegations of Hostile Reconnaissance
The prosecution alleges that Salehi and Ahmadyan conducted "hostile reconnaissance" within Manchester’s Jewish community, identifying several potential targets, including the city’s Jewish Museum and Heaton Park synagogue. The court heard that the pair arrived in the UK illegally via small boats, with Salehi arriving in 2020 and being granted leave to remain in 2023, while Ahmadyan came in 2023 and has an outstanding asylum claim.
