Warning of 'ISIS sleeper cells activating' in wake of Manchester synagogue terror attack

A Syrian politician has warned the UK could face threats from "Isis sleeper cells" in the wake of the terrorist attack on a synagogue which came just days after Islamic extremists called on followers to kill Christians and Jews in the West. In September Islamic State spokesperson Abu Hudhaifa al-Ansari ranted in an appeal to zealots around the world that they should murder "Jews, Christians and their allies" with bombs, bullets, knives and vehicles".

Posting his warped call to arms online, he wrote: "Perfect the plans and diversify the operations: Blow up with explosives, burn with incendiary bombs, shoot with fatal bullets, cut and slaughter with sharp knives, run over and crush with buses, and the sincere will not lack a trick to bleed the hearts of Jews, Christians, and their allies."

On Thursday Syrian-born Islamist terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, staged a murderous attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester which left two people dead and three others seriously injured in hospital. Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, died after Al-Shamie drove into a group of people before stabbing a man.

In Syria, tens of thousands of former ISIS followers are guarded by Kurdish-led forces on behalf of the West in camps the north east of the country. Dr Mohamed Moustafa, from the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the political wing of the Kurdish-led forces which safeguard the prisons and detention camps, warned Islamic state sleeper cells were activating once more.

"Following the fall of the Syrian regime in December, the country witnessed a significant power vacuum, which allowed radical groups, most notably ISIS, to reorganise and expand once again," he said.

"For this reason, we stress the importance of continuous communication with the international community to raise awareness of the threat posed by ISIS, which relies on reactivating its sleeper cells and exploiting instability. We have also observed a concerning increase in their attacks against both our forces and civilians in recent times.

"Recently, ISIS carried out its first suicide bombing targeting the Christian community inside a church in Damascus, resulting in the deaths of more than twenty people and injuring around seventy others."

Dr Moustafa added: "We wish to extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the British people, wishing them patience and resilience in facing this tragedy.

"In North and East Syria, we in the Syrian Democratic Forces emphasise that the support of our partners in the P3 countries (the United Kingdom, the United States, and France) remains vital-both in terms of logistical and military assistance, as well as through their continued presence on the ground."

Dr Moustafa said the new Syrian government, known as HTS or Jabhat al-Nusra, which seized power in December in Damascus, was "not capable of combating terrorism, as they themselves are listed as a terrorist organization, and some groups maintain strong ties with them."