Extremists Sentenced for Plotting 'Deadliest' Terror Attack on UK Jewish Community
Two Islamic State-inspired extremists have been sentenced to decades in prison for plotting a deadly gun attack on Manchester's Jewish community, which police described as potentially the deadliest terrorist act in UK history. Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, were found guilty by a jury at Preston Crown Court in December and received sentences of 37 and 26 years, respectively.
Details of the Terror Plot
The pair had purchased assault rifles, handguns, and ammunition for a suicide attack targeting Jewish locations, with Saadaoui stating that any Christian victims would be "as a bonus." Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts emphasized that the planned assault could have resulted in catastrophic consequences, particularly in crowded areas frequented by the Manchester Jewish community.
Saadaoui, a former owner of an Italian restaurant in a Norfolk seaside town, idolized Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the mastermind behind the 2015 Paris attacks that killed 130 people. He aimed to replicate such violence in revenge for Israeli actions in Gaza. After selling his house, he used part of the proceeds to make an initial payment of €5,000 (£4,400) for four AK-47 assault rifles, two handguns, and 1,200 rounds of ammunition.
Undercover Operation and Arrest
Police established a large-scale armed operation to protect an undercover operative, known as "Farouk," who met with Saadaoui and Hussein to gather intelligence. The extremists were observed traveling to the White Cliffs National Trust nature reserve near Dover to scout security checks at the port, where weapons were to be imported from France.
During surveillance trips in Manchester, Saadaoui informed Farouk of his intent to target schools and gatherings, stating he wanted to kill "young, old, women, elderly, the whole lot." He was apprehended in a sting operation on 8 May last year while taking delivery of deactivated weapons from a rented Lexus at the Last Drop spa hotel in Lancashire. Body-worn footage captured him running 20 yards before armed officers subdued him.
Background and Investigation
Saadaoui, originally from Tunisia, had previously worked as a hotel entertainer and married an English woman, moving to Clacton-on-Sea and later Great Yarmouth. He purchased the Albatross Restaurant in 2018 but closed it four years later, relocating to Wigan with his second wife and children. After briefly working at a discount store, he claimed universal credit and regularly posted ISIS statements on Facebook, drawing MI5's attention.
On 28 November 2023, MI5 initiated Operation Catogenic, described as the largest and most complex covert counter-terrorism investigation ever conducted in the North West. Investigators believed Saadaoui was on the verge of launching an attack, with Farouk warning that failure to intervene could result in numerous deaths.
Additional Sentencing and Commendations
Saadaoui's brother, Bilel Saadaoui, 36, of Wigan, was sentenced to six years in jail with an additional year on licence for failing to disclose information about the terror plans. Sentencing judge Mr Justice Wall commended Farouk for his dangerous work, noting that he "potentially saved very many lives by risking his own." The judge expressed hope that his remarks would be conveyed to the undercover officer, whose true identity remains protected.
