MANCHESTER, UK — Two men have been arrested over a suspected terrorist plot allegedly targeting the Jewish community in Manchester ahead of Yom Kippur, according to police.

The men, both aged in their 30s, were arrested on suspicion of offences under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 on Newton Street in Manchester on Sunday, September 20, 2026, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said police were aware the arrests could cause “further concern” among members of the Jewish community, particularly during the High Holy Days.

Yom Kippur, widely regarded as the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, began at sundown on Sunday and ended at nightfall on Monday.

The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism in the UK, described the suspected plot as “utterly chilling”, particularly because the arrests came close to the anniversary of last year’s terrorist attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue in Manchester, which occurred during Yom Kippur.

CST said it had been informed that the arrests were allegedly connected to what police believed was a plot to attack the Manchester Jewish community. The organisation said the timing of the arrests was a reminder of the terrorist threat facing Jewish communities.

The group said it had remained in close contact with police in Manchester and other parts of the country throughout Yom Kippur as part of its security operation during the High Holy Days.

CST also thanked police and other agencies for their efforts to protect the Jewish community and wider society, while urging members of the community to remain calm and alert and to report suspicious activity to police.

The two men were arrested under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000. The information provided does not state whether they have been charged, and the investigation remains ongoing.

The arrests come almost a year after an attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue in Crumpsall. On October 2, 2025, Jihad Al-Shamie drove into the gates of the synagogue and launched an attack involving a knife while wearing what was described as a fake suicide belt.

Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed in the attack.

SOURCE: ITV Granada, September 22, 2026; information attributed to the Metropolitan Police and Community Security Trust.