A man alleged to have been an associate of the Manchester synagogue killer has faced court, charged with driving the terrorist on a reconnaissance mission to a key military site months before the deadly attack.
Charges of Preparation and Dissemination
Mohammad Asim Bashir, a 31-year-old dual British-Pakistani citizen from Cheetham Hill, Manchester, is accused of one count of preparing terrorist acts and three counts of disseminating terrorist publications. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court, where he was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on December 12.
The Crown Prosecution Service alleges that on August 14 this year, Bashir intentionally assisted Jihad al-Shamie by driving him to the UK Defence Academy in Oxfordshire to conduct hostile reconnaissance. The site provides higher education for British Armed Forces and civil service personnel.
Prosecutors state the pair undertook a five-hour drive from Manchester, despite Bashir being uninsured, and spent approximately 13 minutes in the vicinity of the Ministry of Defence facility before returning.
Links to Extremist Propaganda
In addition to the reconnaissance charge, Bashir faces three separate counts related to sharing extremist material. He is accused of transmitting the contents of terrorist publications via a WhatsApp messaging chat on multiple dates in late 2024.
The publications include a series of lectures titled 'The Book of Jihad' shared on November 8, 2024, and videos named 'Obstacles in the Path of Jihad' and 'Virtues of Martyrs', shared on December 15 and 18, 2024 respectively. All are lectures by the former al-Qaeda ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki.
Connection to the Synagogue Attack
The charges arise from an investigation linked to Jihad al-Shamie, the 35-year-old Syrian-born British citizen who carried out the vehicle and knife attack outside the Heaton Park Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, on October 2.
In that attack, al-Shamie drove into a security guard before stabbing and killing 66-year-old Melvin Cravitz. Wearing a fake suicide vest, he was shot dead by armed police. A stray police bullet tragically killed 53-year-old Adrian Daulby, who was among those trying to prevent the attacker from entering the synagogue.
Bashir left the UK for Pakistan two days after the attack, returning on November 27, when he was arrested at Manchester Airport. Authorities stress that while the charges are linked to al-Shamie, Bashir has been released without charge in direct connection to the synagogue attack itself.
Frank Ferguson, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: "Our prosecutors have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to charge Mohammad Bashir with one offence of preparation of terrorist acts and three offences of sharing terrorist publications with Al-Shamie and others with the intent to encourage acts of terrorism."
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts of Counter Terrorism Policing North West confirmed the investigation into the attack remains live, appealing for any further information from the public.
