Bid to withhold MI5 information from synagogue attack inquests

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 family lawyers cited statements made by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and counter-terror police bosses that terrorist Al-Shamie was not on their radar and unknown to them.

Victoria Ailes, representing the Cravitz family, told Judge Alexia Durran, Chief Coroner of England and Wales: "We would respectfully suggest the interest in open justice is heightened."

Anna Morris KC, representing the Daulby family, said there had been a "demonstrable lack of candour" by the security services in "other proceedings".

She said the Daulby family were also concerned that this application and information might contradict statements made publicly that the terrorist was not known to counter terror policing or the security services.

The Daulby family expected a "rigorous investigation" into his death and the family had concerns about any delay in proceedings and "procedural rights", she added.

Ed Pleeth, counsel to the inquest, told the hearing the PII application by the Home Office showed a "well-evidenced" risk to national security but the MI5 information was also relevant to the inquests that must take place.

He said in inquests there is no power to exclude certain parties, such as lawyers representing families or other parties, so the MI5 material could then not be heard.

Pleeth said the coroner must consider whether to convert the inquests into a public inquiry, where the law does allow sensitive security information to be examined in "closed" or private hearings attended only by a senior judge and security vetted lawyers.

Due to the "procedural uncertainty", no date has yet been set for the next pre-inquest hearing and a written ruling on the PII application is expected from the Chief Coroner at a later date.

Earlier, the Chief Coroner granted "interested person" status, meaning they will be legally represented at either the inquest or public inquiry, to three Greater Manchester Police firearms officers called to the scene, identified only as F42, S19 and C25.

The hearing was told officer F42 fired four times from his Glock pistol, with his first shot missing Al-Shamie and fatally hitting Daulby and injuring a second man, Yoni Finlay.

Officer S19 fired five times and C25 once, both using a "carbine" weapon.

Andrew Franks, who the court heard opened the synagogue compound gates to Al-Shamie, was also given interested person status, but the coroner said this did not imply any "criticism or culpability" on his behalf.

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