A man described as a “long-standing, committed jihadist” assisted a suspect involved in a fatal knife attack at a Manchester synagogue by planning a separate terror operation, a court heard Thursday.

Mohammad Bashir, 31, drove Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, on a reconnaissance mission last August to the UK Defence Academy in Shrivenham, Swindon. The visit was part of preparations for a planned attack on the defence base, prosecutors said.

Al-Shamie subsequently launched a deadly assault on October 2 at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, where two worshippers were killed before police fatally shot him at the scene.

Investigators recovered WhatsApp messages between Bashir and Al-Shamie following the synagogue attack, revealing coordination on terrorist activities. While Bashir admitted to preparing terrorist acts, there is no evidence linking him directly to the synagogue incident.

Bashir, a resident of Manchester, entered a guilty plea during proceedings at Manchester Crown Court. The sentencing hearing, expected to span two days, is ongoing.

Authorities have emphasized the distinct nature of the two plotted attacks, noting that Bashir’s involvement was limited to the defence base plan and did not extend to the synagogue stabbing.