BBCTwo Iranian men have appeared in court charged with terror offences over an alleged plot to target the Jewish community in Manchester with a homemade bomb.
Rahman Salehi, 34, of Salford, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, from Liverpool, were accused at Westminster Magistrates’ Court of preparing to commit an act of terrorism or assisting another to commit an act of terrorism on or before 20 September.
One of the buildings they are alleged to have carried out reconnaissance at is the Heaton Park synagogue which was attacked on 2 October 2025.
Both men, who had arrived in the UK by small boat, were arrested in Manchester’s Northern Quarter on the eve of Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
As part of the investigation, searches were carried out at addresses in Epworth Street, Liverpool, and Lancaster Road, Salford.
The Metropolitan Police said the men were alleged to have obtained instructions to make a chlorine bomb, acquired liquids and other components to make an improvised explosive device.
They are accused of using the internet to identify and research potential targets, acquiring images, plans and maps.
Prosecutor Mark Luckett told the court: “Both defendants are accused of preparing acts of terrorism targeting the Jewish community in Manchester through the use of a homemade explosive device.
“The defendants were observed carrying out, what the prosecution say, is a hostile reconnaissance within Manchester’s Jewish community, identifying attempted targets such as the Jewish Museum and Heaton Park Synagogue.”
‘Deeply distressing’
Two British Jews, Melvin Kravitz, 66, and 53-year-old Adrian Daulby, were killed when Heaton Park Synagogue was attacked during last year’s Yom Kippur service.
Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, drove into the gates of Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue and began attacking people with a knife while wearing a fake suicide belt.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court court heard Salehi and Ahmadyan, who had come to the UK via a small boat in 2020 and 2023 respectively, were alleged to have been “directed and co-ordinated” by another Iranian individual “most likely operating within Iran”.
Salehi had previously claimed asylum in Germany and spent five years there, the court heard. He was granted asylum in the UK in 2023 and currently has leave to remain until July 2028.
His co-accused arrived via small boat in 2023 and has an outstanding asylum claim, the court heard.
The men, wearing grey tracksuits, stood in the dock of court five.
Salehi and Ahmadyan respectively spoke through their Kurdish and Farsi translators only to confirm their name, date of birth and addresses.
Prior to their court appearance, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the news that two Iranian men had been charged would be “deeply distressing” to Manchester’s Jewish community as the city marked the first anniversary of the Heaton Park Synagogue attack.
She said “the fact both suspects arrived by small boat several years ago” was a reminder of the “importance of work to tackle illegal migration”.
“We will be unrelenting in our efforts to protect our Jewish communities, root out antisemitism in this country, and maintain our border security,” she added.
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