Two men, Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein, have been jailed for life over a plot to attack the Jewish community in Manchester, according to a report by the BBC.
The pair, who were found guilty of preparing acts of terrorism, had planned to launch a gun assault on a march against antisemitism in the city, Greater Manchester Police said. Saadaoui, 38, and Hussein, 52, were given minimum prison terms of 37 and 26 years, respectively.
The police investigation, which involved an undercover operative, foiled the plot and led to the arrest of the two men in May 2024. The operative, who was praised by the court for his bravery, had gained the trust of Saadaoui and provided crucial information to the authorities.
Police Response
Counter-terrorism police intervened on 8 May 2024, with over 200 officers involved, and arrested Saadaoui at a hotel car park in Bolton. Minutes later, Hussein and Saadaoui's younger brother, Bilel Saadaoui, were also arrested.
The trial heard that Saadaoui had planned to smuggle four AK-47 assault rifles, two handguns, and 900 rounds of ammunition into the UK. He had also prepared a will and left a copy with his brother, along with tens of thousands of pounds in cash to help provide for his family.
Investigation Underway
The investigation found that Saadaoui had used 10 Facebook accounts to spread Islamic extremist views and had joined the Facebook group of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester. He had also conducted hostile reconnaissance on how to smuggle weapons through the port of Dover and had carried out surveillance on Jewish nurseries, schools, synagogues, and shops in north Manchester.
Bilel Saadaoui, 36, who was convicted of failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism, has been jailed for six years. The court commended the bravery of the undercover operative, saying he had "potentially saved many lives" by putting his own life on the line.
