Chief coroner seeks public inquiry into Manchester synagogue attack
Judge Alexia Durran to ask Home Secretary to convert inquests due to national security concerns over MI5 material.
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Judge Alexia Durran, chief coroner of England and Wales, will write to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to recommend that the inquests into the deaths of two men killed in the attack on a Manchester synagogue be converted into a public inquiry. The decision follows concerns that sensitive material from MI5 cannot be heard in open court due to national security reasons.
Reasons for Public Inquiry Recommendation
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Inquests have no legal mechanism to conduct secret or private hearings, excluding the press and public. A public inquiry, however, can hold some hearings behind closed doors if necessary. Judge Durran made the recommendation after a pre-inquest hearing on 4 September, where government lawyers stated that releasing certain MI5 material would harm national security. Lawyers representing the families of the victims questioned the necessity of private hearings, noting that authorities had previously stated the attacker was not known to security services.
The Attack
The attack occurred on 2 October last year at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester. Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old Syrian-born British citizen, drove into the synagogue's perimeter gates before attacking worshippers with a knife while wearing a fake suicide belt. Melvin Cravitz, 66, died from multiple knife wounds. Adrian Daulby, 53, was killed by a bullet fired by armed officers who responded to the incident.
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The chief coroner's recommendation signifies a move towards a more comprehensive investigation that can accommodate sensitive national security information, which is not possible within the framework of standard inquest proceedings.
Questions this report answers
+Why is a public inquiry being recommended instead of inquests?
A public inquiry is recommended because sensitive MI5 material relevant to the attack cannot be heard in open court due to national security concerns. Inquests do not have a mechanism to hold secret hearings, which a public inquiry can do.
+Who were the victims of the synagogue attack?
The attack on 2 October last year resulted in the deaths of Adrian Daulby, aged 53, and Melvin Cravitz, aged 66. Both were killed during the incident at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue.
+What will happen next regarding the investigation?
Chief coroner Judge Alexia Durran will write to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to formally recommend the conversion of the inquests into a public inquiry. The Home Secretary will then consider this recommendation.
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