03-10-2026
British authorities have charged Iranian nationals Rahman Salehi, 34, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, with preparing to commit or assisting another person to commit a terrorist act in Manchester. Prosecutors allege the plan was intended to target the Jewish community on or before Yom Kippur, which began at sundown on September 20, 2026. Police say the men, arrested in Manchester on September 20, sought equipment and components for an improvised explosive device and conducted reconnaissance of potential targets. Authorities say the alleged plot was disrupted, but have not disclosed further details. Police allege the men were in contact with an overseas third party who may have been in Iran. The two are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the men arrived in the UK by small boat from Europe several years ago; one had been granted asylum and the other had an active asylum claim. She accused Iran of targeting Jewish communities and critics overseas, often using proxies and criminal networks. Iran has denied similar accusations.
The charges were announced during the High Holy Days and one year after a deadly attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, where two people were killed. Counterterrorism police said the timing had caused concern among Jewish people and the wider public, amid increasing antisemitic incidents in the UK. Detectives said the Manchester case was not connected to a separate suspected plot involving RAF Fairford, for which a dual UK-Iranian national was arrested. Britain has alleged Iranian involvement in that case; Tehran denied involvement and said speculation would fuel “Iranophobia propaganda.”
Entities: Rahman Salehi, Salam Ahmadyan, Shabana Mahmood, Vicki Evans, Manchester • Tone: neutral • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
03-10-2026
Two Iranian men have been charged with plotting a terrorist attack against Manchester’s Jewish community, according to British police. Salam Ahmadyan, 36, of Liverpool, and Rahman Salehi, 34, of Salford, were arrested in Manchester on September 20. Police allege the men were in contact with a third party overseas, possibly in Iran. Authorities have not disclosed details of the alleged plot, but say it was disrupted and that they do not believe there is an ongoing public threat. The men are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday.
The arrests come nearly a year after a deadly attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in northern Manchester. Two people were killed in the October 2, 2025, knife and gun attack during Yom Kippur. Home Minister Shabana Mahmood said the new case would be distressing for Jewish communities, particularly in Manchester as they approach the anniversary and observe the period around Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. She also said the suspects had arrived in Britain by small boat several years earlier, linking the case to the government’s efforts to address illegal migration.
The article places the case amid a recent series of attacks on Jewish or Israel-linked sites in London and other security incidents. Five British men were arrested near RAF Fairford on September 27 on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act, but were later released on bail. A dual U.K.-Iranian national was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of plotting an attack at the air base; it is unclear whether the cases are connected. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the government believes Iran played a part in the September 27 incident, while Iran has denied involvement.
Entities: Salam Ahmadyan, Rahman Salehi, Vicki Evans, Shabana Mahmood, Andy Burnham • Tone: neutral • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
03-10-2026
Two Iranian nationals, Salam Ahmadyan, 36, and Rahman Salehi, 34, were charged in the UK with allegedly plotting an attack against Jewish people in Manchester on Yom Kippur. British counterterrorism police say the men obtained homemade explosive materials through encrypted messaging apps, consulted a document describing how to make a bomb using powder chlorine and car brake fluid, and gathered images, plans, and maps of potential targets. Authorities also allege they conducted reconnaissance. The men were arrested in Manchester on September 20, the day before Yom Kippur. Police say the alleged plot coincided with the anniversary of a previous attack at Heaton Park Synagogue that killed two worshippers. The suspects lived in Liverpool and Salford and were allegedly in contact with a third party, possibly in Iran. The British government says both are believed to have entered the country illegally in recent years using migrant-smuggling boats.
The arrests came amid separate concerns about possible Iran-linked activity in Britain. Days earlier, police investigated a suspected plot near RAF Fairford after explosives were reported in vans close to the base, which is used by the US Air Force for missions to Iran. The material was later identified as gasoline; five British nationals arrested in connection with the incident were released on bail, and the investigation continues. A separate 25-year-old Iranian national was arrested in London on suspicion of planning an attack at the air force base. Authorities have not established that the incidents are connected. A senior counterterrorism official said the events had highlighted wider threats from Iran. Iran has denied involvement in the Fairford incident, while the article says it had not responded to reports about the alleged Manchester plot. Government minister Shabana Mahmood said the news would be distressing for Jewish communities, particularly in Manchester.
Entities: Salam Ahmadyan, Rahman Salehi, Shabana Mahmood, Vicki Evans, Manchester • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
