Homemade bombs part of alleged plot on Manchester's Jewish community, court told

Two Iranian nationals have faced a London court after being accused of plotting an attack involving homemade explosives against Jewish sites in Manchester.

Rahman Salehi, 34, residing in Salford, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, from Liverpool, appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court on terrorism charges. Prosecutors allege that the two men engaged in the preparation of an act of terrorism or aided others in doing so on or before September 20.

The suspects were detained in Manchester's Northern Quarter on the eve of Yom Kippur, the most solemn religious holiday in Judaism. According to BBC News, both defendants originally entered the United Kingdom aboard small boats in 2020.

During the hearing, District Judge Nina Tempia ordered the defendants to remain in custody until their next scheduled appearance on October 23 at the Old Bailey.

According to statements by the Metropolitan Police, the pair are accused of gathering instructions for creating a chemical chlorine explosive, securing chemical liquids and components required to build an improvised device, and scouting potential locations for an attack.

The prosecution told the court that the suspects engaged in hostile reconnaissance directed at sites in Manchester, specifically highlighting the city's Jewish Museum and the Heaton Park synagogue. The same synagogue had previously suffered a deadly attack during Yom Kippur services on October 2, 2025, which claimed the lives of Melvin Kravitz and Adrian Daulby.

Investigators believe the pair were acting under instructions from an individual based in Iran. At the initial court proceeding, both men wore grey tracksuits and communicated via interpreters merely to state their personal details and residential addresses.

Police searches connected to the inquiry were conducted at properties situated on Lancaster Road in Salford as well as Epworth Street in Liverpool.

Ahead of the magistrates' court hearing, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that the charges would cause significant distress among Manchester's Jewish community, especially coinciding with the anniversary of the prior synagogue assault. Mahmood also referenced the suspects' entry into the country via small boats, emphasizing government commitments to border control, countering antisemitism, and safeguarding Jewish citizens across the nation.