In a major counter-terrorism success, British authorities have thwarted what could have been the deadliest terrorist attack in the nation's history. Two Islamic State extremists, who meticulously planned a mass shooting targeting Manchester's Jewish community, have been found guilty following an extensive undercover operation.
Details of the Foiled Terror Plot
Walid Saadaoui, aged 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, were convicted on Tuesday for conspiring to carry out a gun assault inspired by previous terrorist atrocities. A third individual, Bilel Saadaoui, the brother of Walid, was also found guilty of failing to disclose vital information about the planned attack. According to prosecutors, the duo intended to use assault rifles and handguns to attack Jewish targets in Manchester, aiming to kill as many people as possible. Shockingly, Saadaoui told an undercover officer that any Christians caught in the attack would be considered "a bonus."
Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts stated that an attack in a crowded area would have led to "catastrophic" consequences. The plot was so severe that police believe it had the potential to be the "deadliest act" of terrorism ever witnessed in Britain.
Inspiration from Paris and Sinister Planning
The court heard that Walid Saadaoui idolised Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the mastermind behind the 2015 Paris attacks that killed 130 people. Seeking to replicate that horror, Saadaoui sold his home to fund the plot, using the money to purchase four AK-47 rifles, two handguns, and a staggering 1,200 rounds of ammunition for just €5,000.
The pair conducted surveillance trips with an undercover officer codenamed "Farouk," discussing potential attacks on schools and gatherings. During one such visit, Saadaoui chillingly remarked, "Young, old, women, elderly, the whole lot, killing them all." Their plan involved recruiting others, disguising themselves in Jewish clothing, and moving between locations while also targeting police and emergency responders.
Undercover Sting and Bizarre Codes
Saadaoui's arrest came on May 8 last year during a sting operation. He was apprehended while collecting deactivated firearms, supplied by police, from the boot of a rented car at a hotel in Lancashire. Body-cam footage captured the moment he attempted to flee across the car park before being tackled by armed officers.
The investigation revealed the men's use of bizarre codes. Saadaoui, a beekeeper, referred to guns as "goldfinches" and ammunition as "bird seed." He and Hussein, a former Iraqi soldier who came to the UK in 2006, even visited the White Cliffs of Dover twice, posing as tourists to assess port security in the belief that weapons would be smuggled from France.
MI5 had begun investigating Saadaoui in November 2023 after he posted ISIS propaganda online using fake Facebook accounts. In recorded conversations, he openly praised past attacks and discussed mass killing. On Christmas Day 2023, he dismissed low-tech methods, stating, "These matters of running someone over with a car or using a knife is ineffective, what is needed is an automatic gun." An undercover officer had warned that Saadaoui would "kill a lot of people" if police did not intervene.
Mark Gardner, chief executive of the Community Security Trust, praised the police for preventing an attack that "may well have been the worst terrorist act in British history." Assistant Chief Constable Potts described Saadaoui as an "extremely dangerous man" and Hussein as a "fanatical terrorist," underscoring the grave threat that has now been neutralised.
