NHS doctor claims Manchester synagogue attack was 'false flag operation' to boost sympathy for Israel

Asad Khan
Asad Khan is alleged to have promoted a conspiracy theory on social media that suggested the Manchester attack was a 'false flag operation' | X/ASAD KHAN
Isabelle Parkin

By Isabelle Parkin


Published: 11/10/2025

- 18:31

Updated: 11/10/2025

- 23:06

Dr Asad Khan is alleged to have speculated the attack was a 'false flag'

A former NHS consultant allegedly spread a conspiracy theory that the Manchester synagogue attack was a "false flag operation" created to "boost Israeli sympathy".

Dr Asad Khan, who worked as a lung specialist, is said to have discussed the terrorist attack on a private Facebook group known as The On-Call Room, where doctors can take part in "lively banter and debate".


Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz died and several others were injured following the incident at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall on October 2.

Suspected terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie, who was shot dead by armed police at the scene, rang 999 during his deadly rampage and pledged his allegiance to the radical terror group Islamic State.


In a post on the day of the attack, Dr Khan - who left his job in 2020 after developing long-Covid - speculated it was a "false flag".

Posting to The On-Call Room group, The Times reports Dr Khan said he had been "raising the possibility of this being a false flag", adding "I have the right to speculate. There have been false flag antisemitic incidents before, including synagogue attacks".

He also allegedly posted a screenshot of a post to X which read: "The synagogue incident in Manchester is a conveniently-timed false flag. A little warm up for the next October 7.

"Israeli sympathy is running low and obviously needs a boost.”

One five-star reviewer of the Facebook group, which has more than 17,000 members, described it as "the naughtiest medical forum in The West".

Another said it was "not for the faint hearted", while a third person described it as an "eye opener".

Dr Khan has also shared several posts on X from Dr Rahmeh Aladwan, a trainee trauma and orthopaedic surgeon who is facing a second medical tribunal over comments she is alleged to have made about Israel.

The Palestinian doctor allegedly said the October 7 Hamas attack represented the day Israel was "humiliated" and claimed antisemitism and the Holocaust were "concepts" exploited to advance a "narrative of victimhood".

Dr Rahmeh Aladwan

Trainee NHS Dr Rahmeh Aladwan is facing a second medical tribunal over comments she allegedly made about Israel

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X

Wes Streeting said on Wednesday that “sickening comments” have no place in the NHS “and action needs to be taken to root the evil of racism out”.

The Health Secretary said: "The NHS is a universal health system that everyone should feel safe approaching if they need care, regardless of race, creed or religion.

"The current medical regulatory system is completely failing to protect patients and NHS staff, so I am looking at how we can rapidly overhaul the current regime to make it easier to kick racists out of the NHS."

In response to Mr Streeting saying he would overhaul the way medical regulators investigate cases of antisemitism, Dr Aladwan wrote on X: "So you’re telling me that the Chief Rabbi of Britain can spend two years supporting, praising and praying for the terrorist, child-killing, hospital-bombing, rapist IOF (Israeli Occupation Forces) but I can’t be a British doctor and support the human, legal right of Palestinians to armed resistance?

Wes Streeting

Wes Streeting said 'sickening comments' have no place in the NHS

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PA

"Streeting wants to centre Jews and falsely claim that Jewish patients are somehow unsafe.

"No Jew has been harmed by anti-genocide, pro-Palestine healthcare workers.

"We are not ‘israeli’ or Jewish supremacists. We see everyone as EQUAL…Free Palestine and Britain from jewish supremacy."

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