Manchester Synagogue Terrorist Was Under Investigation for Rape

The perpetrator of the terrorist attack at a British synagogue this week might have been under the influence of jihadist extremism, and was under investigation for rape and had been released on bail, law enforcement officials said on Friday.

Jihad al-Shamie, 35, had convictions for past crimes that were unrelated to terrorism, according to a statement from counterterror police.

On Thursday, the assailant rammed his car into people outside the synagogue, Heaton Park Congregation, in Manchester, England, and then went on a stabbing spree while wearing a fake explosive vest. He was shot dead by the police while trying to enter the building.

Two other men were killed, including one who was accidentally struck by a police bullet, and three people were injured and remain hospitalized. The attack, which came on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, has added to fears about the safety of Jews around the world amid rising antisemitism.

The evidence gathered so far suggested that Mr. al-Shamie “may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology,” Laurence Taylor, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing in the United Kingdom, said in a statement on Friday night, adding that the investigation was continuing.

Officials did not provide details of the rape investigation or Mr. al-Shamie’s previous convictions, but Mr. Taylor said they were not related to terrorism.