Trial set for men accused of synagogue bomb plot

The two men face allegations linked to a planned attack on Manchester’s Jewish community. They are accused of engaging in conduct preparing for terrorist acts on or before 20 September. Both deny the charges.

The alleged activities included researching Heaton Park Synagogue and the Jewish Museum in Cheetham Hill. Prosecutors say the men used the internet to find images, plans and maps, then carried out hostile reconnaissance. They are also accused of obtaining liquids, components and equipment for an improvised explosive device.

The case also involves an alleged Iranian national who directed and co-ordinated the plan, probably from Iran. The men appeared at the Old Bailey by videolink. Their trial is scheduled for Manchester Crown Court from 15 June 2027 and is expected to last five weeks.

Hostile reconnaissance is the process of gathering information about a possible attack target. It can include observing a site, studying its layout, checking access points or collecting details that might help an attacker plan. The phrase matters because it describes preparation, even when no attack has taken place.

In this case, prosecutors allege that Ahmadyan and Salehi used the internet to identify and research potential targets. They are also accused of acquiring images, plans and maps, and conducting reconnaissance of possible attack locations. The named sites were Heaton Park Synagogue and the Jewish Museum in Cheetham Hill.

The allegations are part of a wider charge of preparing for terrorist acts. The defendants deny the charges. A trial is due at Manchester Crown Court from 15 June 2027, where the prosecution evidence and the defence response will be examined.

A chlorine bomb is an improvised weapon designed to release chlorine gas, rather than relying only on an explosion. Chlorine can seriously harm people when inhaled or exposed to the eyes and skin. That combination of toxicity and improvised construction makes such a device dangerous, even if its effects are difficult to control.

The article alleges that Ahmadyan and Salehi received instructions to make a chlorine bomb. It also says they acquired liquids, components and equipment needed to manufacture or assemble an improvised explosive device. These are allegations, and the article does not state that a finished device was made or deployed.

The alleged bomb instructions form one part of the preparation case. The defendants deny the charges. Their trial is scheduled for Manchester Crown Court in June 2027, when evidence about the instructions, materials and alleged target research can be tested.

The article directly mentions six people in connection with the alleged plot and the earlier synagogue attack. They are the two defendants, Salam Ahmadyan and Rahman Salehi; an Iranian national alleged to have directed the plan; victims Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby; and Jihad Al-Shamie, who is linked to the earlier attack.

Two potential targets are named in the alleged plot. They are Heaton Park Synagogue and the Jewish Museum in Cheetham Hill. The article also refers more generally to other potential locations, but it does not identify them or give a total number.

The figures describe people and locations mentioned, not proven involvement or completed attacks. Ahmadyan and Salehi deny the charges. Cravitz and Daulby were killed in the earlier synagogue attack, while the alleged plot is due to go to trial in 2027.

The Old Bailey hearing and the Manchester trial are separate stages of the case. The defendants appeared by videolink at the Old Bailey, where a trial date was set. The full trial will take place at Manchester Crown Court on 15 June 2027.

The article gives no detailed explanation for the different venues. It establishes only that the Old Bailey handled this hearing, while Manchester Crown Court was chosen for the five-week trial. Therefore, the precise legal or administrative reason cannot be determined from the reported facts.

The change of venue does not mean the allegations have been proved. Ahmadyan and Salehi deny the charges, and the trial will examine the evidence. Their next hearing is due on 16 April next year, before the scheduled Manchester proceedings begin.

A conviction for preparing terrorist acts could lead to serious criminal punishment, including a possible prison sentence. The exact consequence would depend on the offence proved, the evidence and the sentence imposed by the court. The article does not provide a possible sentence or say what penalty prosecutors will seek.

The allegations include obtaining bomb-making materials, researching targets and carrying out reconnaissance. Prosecutors also allege that the men received instructions to make a chlorine bomb. These claims must be tested at trial, and a charge is not a finding of guilt.

Ahmadyan and Salehi deny the charges. Their trial is scheduled at Manchester Crown Court for 15 June 2027 and is expected to last five weeks. Until the case is decided, the final legal outcome remains unknown. The next hearing is due on 16 April next year.

An overseas-directed plot can operate through a division of tasks. A person in one country may allegedly send instructions or co-ordinate plans, while people elsewhere research targets and obtain materials. The case described involves two men in England and an Iranian national alleged to be operating within Iran.

The article says Ahmadyan and Salehi allegedly received instructions, researched Manchester locations and acquired liquids, components and equipment. This means investigators would need to connect communications, online activity, physical movements and purchases to the alleged plan. It also involves evidence about events and a person outside the UK.

Cross-border cases can be difficult because relevant people, records and evidence may be in different countries. The article does not detail the investigation methods or obstacles here. The allegations will be tested at trial, scheduled for Manchester Crown Court in 2027.