'No stone left unturned' in synagogue attack probe

Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said "urgent and ongoing inquiries" were continuing

A police chief has said "no stone is being left unturned" in the investigation into the Manchester synagogue attack.

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said the force has put "every available resource into making sure that we understand precisely what has happened".

It follows the attack by Jihad Al-Shamie at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the city's Crumpsall area on Yom Kippur, the most holy day in the Jewish calendar.

"There is a limit to what I can say at this juncture in terms of the dynamics of that investigation, suffice to say that we know that there are answers that people require, and those answers will be forthcoming as soon as it is appropriate to give them," Sir Stephen said.

"I do want to reassure people that no stone is being left unturned.

"We will get to the bottom of what has happened, and as those facts emerge into the public domain, we'll be sure, of course, to communicate those in a way that I hope addresses people's needs, requirements and interest in this most horrific of attacks."

Sir Stephen Watson said "urgent and ongoing inquiries" were continuing

The police chief said "our Jewish community" had suffered "yet another antisemitic terrorist atrocity, the murder of Jews on the streets of Manchester is something that is an attack on us all, and it is hardly surprising that our community are reeling".

He said Jewish people were both "seeking to observe their right to live their Jewish lives, and on the other hand, are really fearful of what has happened, really upset by what has happened, and candidly, are frightened as to the future."

Sir Stephen also said GMP has "very significantly" increased both visible and covert police presence across the city, particularly with Jewish communities.

In the past week it made more than 4,000 visits to places of worship across the city region giving an "indication of the scale, the visibility, the presence of our people, whilst simultaneously giving space to a very fulsome and very detailed investigation".

Adrian Daulby, 53, was killed along with Melvin Cravitz, 66, as the attack unfolded.

Three men remain in hospital with serious injuries, including a security guard with car-impact injuries and a Community Security Trust worker with stab wounds.

Al-Shamie, 35, who was on bail for an alleged rape, was shot dead by police.

Police have been granted more time to hold the four people arrested in custody, while inquiries are under way to establish "the full picture" into what was happened, a spokesman for Counter Terrorism Policing North West said.