Two Iranian nationals appeared in a London court Saturday charged with plotting a terrorist attack on Manchester's Jewish community — allegedly at the direction of a handler operating from inside Iran.
Rahman Salehi, 34, of Salford and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, of Liverpool are accused of carrying out 'hostile reconnaissance' of the Manchester Jewish Museum and Heaton Park Synagogue, identifying targets for a homemade explosive device prosecutors say would have been made from chlorine and brake fluid.
Prosecutor Mark Luckett told Westminster Magistrates' Court the pair were in contact with a third party — assessed to be an Iranian national operating from within Iran — who 'directed and coordinated' the attack planning and provided bomb-making instructions.
Both men arrived in Britain by small boat from Europe. Salehi arrived in 2020 and was granted asylum in 2023; Ahmadyan arrived in 2023 and his asylum claim is still outstanding, the court heard. They were arrested September 20, on the eve of Yom Kippur.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Britain faces 'a range of serious threats from the Iranian regime,' which she said targets Jewish communities and critics overseas 'often through proxies and criminal networks.' Iran has denied the accusations.
Neither man entered a plea. District Judge Nina Tempia remanded both into custody until their next hearing at London's Old Bailey on October 23.