Two men have been charged after a counter-terrorism investigation into an alleged plot targeting the Jewish community in Manchester. The charges were authorised on Friday, 2 October, following arrests in the city nearly two weeks earlier.
Rahman Salehi and Salam Ahmadyan are each charged with engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts, contrary to section 5(1) of the Terrorism Act 2006. The allegation concerns conduct on or before 20 September. A charge is not a finding of guilt, and the case will be decided by the court.
What the case alleges
The charge particulars allege that the men communicated with others through encrypted applications while seeking components for an improvised explosive device. They are also accused of obtaining material relating to making such a device, acquiring liquids, components and equipment, researching possible targets, and carrying out reconnaissance of potential locations.
Investigators further allege that the pair were in contact with an overseas third party who may be in Iran. That is an allegation in the case; no conclusion about any overseas involvement has been determined by a court.
The alleged target has been described at community level rather than as a named building or venue. That limits what can responsibly be said about the purported plan. It also means the published case should not be read as identifying a particular place, congregation or event as having been selected.
Arrests and searches
Both men were arrested in Manchester on Sunday, 20 September. Police said the arrests took place in Newton Street and that the men were then taken to a London police station. Warrants for further detention were obtained during the investigation.
Searches at addresses in Epworth Street, Liverpool, and Lancaster Road, Salford, have since been completed. The inquiry was led by Counter Terrorism Policing London, with support from policing partners in Greater Manchester and Merseyside.
A first further-detention warrant was obtained on 22 September and a further warrant on 26 September. Police said the latter allowed the men to be held until Sunday, 4 October. The charging decision followed the investigation and authorisation by prosecutors; it does not resolve the allegations.
Community reassurance
Police said they believe the operation disrupted a plot directed at the Jewish community in the Manchester area. They also said there was no ongoing threat to the public connected with this matter, while asking people to remain alert and report concerns through the usual channels.
The announcement came during the Jewish High Holy Day period, when concerns about safety were already heightened. Local officers are expected to maintain visible engagement and security support in Jewish neighbourhoods, alongside specialist protective-security advice for community sites.
Police said the timing, during the religious period and on the calendar anniversary of a previous attack at a Manchester synagogue, was likely to deepen concern. They said reassurance and protective-security work would continue. That response is precautionary and does not alter the statement that there is no ongoing public threat linked to this case.
For London, the case has a direct institutional link as well as a court connection: London-based counter-terrorism officers led the investigation, and the first hearing is listed at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. The alleged target, however, was in Manchester, and no specific site has been publicly identified.
What happens next
Salehi and Ahmadyan have been remanded in custody and are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, 3 October. The immediate hearing is expected to address the next procedural steps; it will not determine whether the allegations are proved.
The prosecution says it decided there was sufficient evidence for the case to be put before a criminal court. That test is distinct from guilt. Reporting and public discussion must not prejudice the active proceedings, and the defendants retain the right to a fair trial.
