Two Iranian men identified Manchester synagogue as site for alleged bomb plot, court hears

Two Iranian nationals have appeared in a London court accused of planning an attack using a homemade explosive device against Manchester's Jewish community.

Rahman Salehi, 34, of Salford, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, of Liverpool, were charged on Friday with preparing to commit an act of terrorism or helping someone else prepare an attack. They appeared on Saturday at Westminster Magistrates' Court, where they spoke through a Kurdish interpreter only to confirm their personal details.

Prosecutors told the court that the pair selected sites connected to the local Jewish population, including the Jewish Museum and the Heaton Park synagogue, a location previously affected by a fatal terrorist attack. The defendants are alleged to have conducted hostile surveillance around these locations while scouting possible targets.

According to prosecutor Mark Luckett, the accused were taking orders from an individual thought to be operating inside Iran. This third party allegedly managed the operation and sent the two men guidance regarding the creation and assembly of an improvised bomb.

Authorities arrested the men during the day on 20 September 2026, shortly before the observance of Yom Kippur, the holiest period on the Jewish calendar.

The court was told that the defendants obtained instructional guides and video tutorials detailing how to build an improvised bomb using chlorine powder and automotive brake fluid. Investigators also allege the men gathered the fluids, components, and gear necessary to fabricate such a device. Additionally, they are accused of conducting digital research on target locations, collecting site plans, photographs, and geographic maps, alongside physical reconnaissance.

Both men had entered the United Kingdom unlawfully by crossing the English Channel in small boats, the hearing revealed. Salehi arrived in 2020 after spending five years in Germany, and he received permission to remain in the UK in 2023. Ahmadyan entered the country in 2023 and currently has a pending asylum application.

District Judge Nina Tempia ordered both suspects to remain in custody. They are scheduled to make their next court appearance at the Old Bailey on 23 October.