Bid to withhold MI5 information from Heaton Park attack inquests - BBC News BBC Homepage Skip to content Accessibility Help Your account Home News Sport Earth Reel Worklife Travel Culture Future Music TV Weather Sounds More menu More menu Search BBC Home News Sport Earth Reel Worklife Travel Culture Future Music TV Weather Sounds Close menu BBC News Menu Home Climate World UK Business Tech Science Entertainment & Arts Health In Pictures More BBC Verify Newsbeat England Regions Manchester Bid to withhold MI5 information from synagogue attack inquests Image source, Family handouts Image caption, Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz, were killed in the attack on the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester Published 3 September 2026 The Government has applied to block some MI5 information relating to the fatal Manchester synagogue attack from being heard in public, a court has heard. A pre-inquest hearing at Manchester Coroner's Court was told the Home Office wanted the information to be withheld when the inquests into the deaths of Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, are held next year. Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, a Syrian-born British citizen, drove into the gates of the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester on 2 October last year. He then began attacking with a knife, while wearing a fake suicide belt. Cravitz died from multiple knife wounds while Daulby was killed by a bullet fired by armed police scrambled to the scene. He was hit as he blocked the synagogue doors to stop Al-Shamie getting in. The hearing earlier was told by Neil Sheldon KC, representing the Home Office, that making public the information held by MI5 would put national security at risk. He said: "The Secretary of State asserts that disclosure would harm national security." But lawyers for the families of the victims said the Government's attempt to withhold the information, through a Public Interest Immunity application, was in "contradiction" to statements made after the attack. The fami