Mohammad Bashir, 31, received a life sentence Thursday at Manchester Crown Court after pleading guilty to preparing an act of terrorism. He was required to serve a minimum of 17 years before becoming eligible for release.
Bashir was not involved in an attack that occurred in October at the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Manchester. However, the investigation into that incident revealed that Bashir and the attacker, Jihad Al-Shamie, had jointly planned violence against the U.K.’s Defense Academy located west of London in Oxfordshire. Al-Shamie held the belief that the facility was training Israeli Defense Forces. Two months before the synagogue attack, Bashir drove Al-Shamie to the defense academy to survey the location. During their planning, the two men discussed potential entry methods, weapon selection, and the use of a fake suicide vest.
The October synagogue attack resulted in two deaths. Al-Shamie drove a car into people gathered outside the facility on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, and fatally stabbed one man. A second man died after being inadvertently shot by police during efforts to prevent further violence. Three additional men sustained serious injuries. Al-Shamie, 35, who had expressed allegiance to the Islamic State group, was shot and killed by police.
Greater Manchester Police disclosed that evidence of communications between Bashir and Al-Shamie was discovered on phones seized from Al-Shamie earlier in 2025. The police issued an apology for failing to review available data before the attack occurred, characterizing it as a missed opportunity. Chief Constable Stephen Watson acknowledged the oversight and expressed regret regarding additional distress caused to those affected by the October events.
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