Two men, Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, have been jailed for life for planning to target the Jewish community in Manchester, according to Greater Manchester Police.
The pair arranged for guns to be smuggled into the UK as part of an "Isis-inspired plot", Preston Crown Court heard. They were caught by an undercover operative who played a "crucial role" in foiling their plans.
Saadaoui and Hussein were given minimum prison terms of 37 and 26 years respectively. No specific attack target site or date was identified, but prosecutors said the men planned to launch a gun assault on a march against antisemitism.
Police Response
Counter-terrorism police intervened on 8 May 2024, with more than 200 officers involved, as Saadaoui was arrested at a hotel car park in Bolton when he went to collect some of the firearms, which had been deactivated.
Minutes after the hotel car park arrest, Hussein and Saadaoui's younger brother Bilel Saadaoui, 36, both elsewhere, were also arrested. Bilel Saadaoui was convicted of failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism and has been jailed for six years.
Investigation
Walid Saadaoui came to the attention of the authorities when he used 10 Facebook accounts, none of which were in his own name, to spread a torrent of Islamic extremist views. An undercover operative, Farouk, was deployed to gain his trust, first online and then later in person.
During the sentencing hearing, Mr Justice Wall said: "I am sure this would have led to the deaths of many people and serious injuries to many, many more." The court heard how Saadaoui aimed to smuggle four AK-47 assault rifles, two handguns and 900 rounds of ammunition into the UK.
Statement from Authorities
Mr Justice Wall commended the bravery of Farouk, adding it was "a dangerous and difficult job". "He undertook it with great skill and patience," he said. "He has potentially saved many lives by putting his own life on the line."
