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Two Iranian men charged over alleged terror plot targeting Manchester’s Jewish community

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Cite

Al-Othman, H., & Dodd, V. (2026, October 2). Two Iranian men charged over alleged terror plot targeting Manchester’s Jewish community. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/oct/02/charged-alleged-terror-plot-manchester-jewish-community

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

The Guardian · collected 2026-10-02 · by Hannah Al-Othman, Vikram Dodd

Quick Summary

Two Iranian men, Rahman Salehi and Salam Ahmadyan, aged 35 and 36 respectively, were charged with terrorism offenses after an alleged plot to target Manchester’s Jewish community was disrupted. They were arrested on September 20 in Newton Street, just before Yom Kippur, and are set to appear at Westminster magistrates court on October 3. Senior counter-terrorism police emphasized the seriousness of the charges and assured the public that security services are protecting the UK from threats.
Written by AI on 2026-10-03, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

On September 20, 2023, British police arrested two Iranian nationals, Rahman Salehi (35) and Salam Ahmadyan (36), in Manchester's Northern Quarter. They were charged with preparing to commit a terrorist act against the Jewish community on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day for Jews. Counter-terrorism detectives alleged that the suspects had been in contact with an overseas third party potentially based in Iran. The arrests came amidst heightened security concerns following the previous year's deadly terror attack at Heaton Park synagogue and a rise in antisemitic incidents across the UK. Authorities have assured the public there is no ongoing threat, but the charges are described as "extremely serious." Salehi and Ahmadyan will appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

Written for “Iranians Charged Terror Plot UK Jews” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 23 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Iranians Charged Terror Plot UK Jews
Crime & Law · 24 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 4% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
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Hedges 5 of 43 claims Outlet record 65/100
The Straits Times
Hedges 1 of 6 claims Outlet record 66/100
Evening Standard
Hedges 1 of 25 claims Outlet record 65/100
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Hedges 1 of 23 claims Outlet record 65/100
NBC News
Hedges 1 of 3 claims Outlet record 60/100
New York Post
Hedges 6 of 15 claims Outlet record 66/100
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Hedges 3 of 28 claims Outlet record 65/100
National Post
Hedges 1 of 14 claims Outlet record 60/100
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
23
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
4%
1 of 23 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
66/100
The Guardian's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
24
Crime & Law
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-03 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

The Guardian · 2740 article(s) · 6 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 6 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Hannah Al-Othman
3 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 A baby girl who died from meningitis may have been saved if doctors had tested her for the infection sooner, rather than putting her symptoms down to Covid, an inquest jury has found.
🔮 She added: “This week also brought into sharp focus some of the wider threats being projected into the UK from Iran.
Also by Hannah Al-Othman
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
Vikram Dodd
3 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 She added: “This week also brought into sharp focus some of the wider threats being projected into the UK from Iran.
🔮 “I understand why this development will have come as a surprise to many, but I’d like to reiterate that it was an investigative decision, and one which is grounded in experience and careful consideration of policing powers.”
🔮 The pictures of the men with their shirts off could point to a precautionary measure against the risk of suicide vests or concealed weapons.
Also by Vikram Dodd
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

Topics

CTP Iran Iranian Jewish Manchester

Subjects

Jewish NORP · 8× Manchester GPE · 4× CTP ORG · 3× Rahman Salehi PERSON · 2× Salam Ahmadyan PERSON · 2× Iran GPE · 1× Iranian NORP · 1× London GPE · 1× Shabana Mahmood PERSON · 1× Vicki Evans PERSON · 1×

Narrative

At the time of the arrests, Evans said police officers were “doing everything we can to keep them [the Jewish community] and the wider public safe”, while counter-terrorism police and local forces were working together “to provide protective security support and advice for areas with Jewish communities, and particularly during the High Holy Day period”.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-03
🔮 She added: “This week also brought into sharp focus some of the wider threats being projected into the UK from Iran.

Claims (23 extracted, 1 hedged)

Two Iranian men have been charged in relation to an alleged terror plot targeting Manchester’s Jewish community. asserted
men → charge → community
Rahman Salehi, 35, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, have been charged with preparing to commit an act of terrorism or assisting another to commit an act of terrorism. asserted
Salehi → charge → terrorism
Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism police (CTP), said: “These are extremely serious charges and allegations, and have come about from a joint CTP investigation, working closely with our partners in the security services. asserted
These → say → services
This investigation has led to the disruption of what we believe to have been a plot targeting the Jewish community in Manchester.” asserted
we → lead → Manchester
She added: “This week also brought into sharp focus some of the wider threats being projected into the UK from Iran. asserted
week → add → Iran
While this incident and the investigation into the RAF Fairford incident are not connected in any way, I want to reassure the public that CTP, working with our national security partners, are using the full range of our capabilities to protect the UK from any hostile acts. asserted
CTP → connect → acts
The men, both in their 30s, were arrested on 20 September, on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. asserted
men → arrest → calendar
They were arrested in Newton Street, in the Northern Quarter area of the city centre, before being held in custody at a London police station. asserted
They → arrest → station
Counter-terrorism police had been given more time to question the men, who were detained under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000. asserted
who → give → Act
The home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said: “These recent events are a stark reminder of the threats posed against this country from both terrorists and foreign state actors. asserted
events → say → terrorists
“This news will be deeply distressing for our Jewish communities, coming so soon after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. asserted
news → come → Hashanah
I know this will be especially true in Manchester, as we mark one year since the terrorist attack at Heaton Park Synagogue. asserted
we → know → Synagogue
“The fact both suspects arrived by small boat several years ago is a reminder of the importance of our relentless work to tackle illegal migration into this country. asserted
suspects → arrive → country
While numbers are down, I know there is more we must do.” asserted
we → know → ?
They are due to appear at Westminster magistrates court on 3 October. asserted
They → appear → October
Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS’s special crime and counter-terrorism division, said: “We have decided to prosecute Rahman Salehi and Salam Ahmadyan following a fast-paced counter-terrorism policing investigation in Greater Manchester in September targeting the Jewish community. asserted
We → say → community
“Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court and we remind all concerned that proceedings against the defendants in this case are active and they have the right to a fair trial. asserted
they → work → trial
“We understand that this case may cause concern, particularly considering the arrests came on the eve of Yom Kippur. uncertain
arrests → understand → Kippur
We want to assure the Jewish community that working with the police, their safety and that of the wider public is our highest priority.” asserted
working → want → public
The Metropolitan police, who are leading the investigation, said searches had also been carried out at properties on Epworth Street in Liverpool and Lancaster Road in Salford. asserted
searches → lead → Salford
At the time of the arrests, Evans said police officers were “doing everything we can to keep them [the Jewish community] and the wider public safe”, while counter-terrorism police and local forces were working together “to provide protective security support and advice for areas with Jewish communities, and particularly during the High Holy Day period”. asserted
police → say → period
Last year, Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, was shot dead by armed police after launching a terror attack during Yom Kippur at Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester. asserted
Shamie → shoot → Manchester
Two men were killed during the attack, Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, while three others were injured. asserted
others → kill → attack
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