Men jailed over foiled Islamic terror plot

Three men have been jailed after being convicted over a foiled terrorist plot aimed at the Jewish community in Greater Manchester.

At Preston Crown Court on 13 February, Walid Saadaoui, 38, of Crankwood Road in Abram, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 37 years. Amar Hussain, 52, of no fixed address, was also given a life sentence and must serve at least 26 years. A third man, Bilel Saadaoui, 37, of Fairclough Street in Hindley, was sentenced to more than six years in prison.

The sentencing followed guilty verdicts returned in December, in which Walid Saadaoui and Hussain were convicted of preparation of terrorist acts under the Terrorism Act 2006. Bilel Saadaoui was found guilty of failing to disclose information about an act of terrorism.

Police said the plot began in late 2023 when Walid Saadaoui made online contact with a man he believed shared extremist views. The individual was in fact an undercover operative, later referred to in court as “Farouk”. During the investigation, Saadaoui introduced Farouk to Hussain, who prosecutors said was also seeking to become involved. The pair believed the operative could import automatic firearms from abroad for use in an attack.

Over the following months, the two men developed their plans, including conducting reconnaissance in Upper Broughton in Salford and travelling to the Port of Dover to observe border arrangements they believed would be used to smuggle weapons into the UK. In remarks made during sentencing, the judge said the case would add to existing fears within the Jewish community, stating: “It would be contrary to common sense to think that the public hearing about plans such as yours against the background of others behaving in similar ways in Britain and elsewhere does not add significantly to those fears.”

The court heard that the men’s motivation went beyond antisemitism, with the judge concluding they were supporters of ISIS and saw anyone outside their ideology as an enemy. The judge said: “You spoke in condemnatory terms of Christians, the police, any Muslim who did not share your extremist views and was, in your opinions, an apostate… You were both more than happy that anyone in any of those groups should get killed as part of your attack.”

The judge also described the plot as highly advanced by the time of the men’s arrest, noting that they believed they had already imported working firearms, including AK47s, a handgun and ammunition, with more expected within weeks. The court heard that a “safe house” had been identified for storing the weapons, and that Saadaoui had access to it and had prepared hiding places.

Walid Saadaoui had also carried out reconnaissance in the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester and joined a Jewish Facebook group in order to identify potential targets, including learning about future marches. The judge said he had taken steps to prepare for what he believed would be his death, including saving money for his family, making a will, arranging for his wife to learn to drive, selling his home and business, and travelling to see his mother for what he described as “one last time”.