TWO warped ISIS fanatics who plotted to “kill as many Jews as possible” in what would have been the UK’s worst terror attack have been jailed.
Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, hatched the chilling plan after developing a “visceral dislike” of Jewish people.
The pair wanted to carry out a marauding attack in Greater Manchester having answered an ISIS “call to arms” issued after the outbreak of war in Gaza.
Police chiefs say the attack could have been Britain’s deadliest terror attack.
The fanatics have now been jailed after being convicted of preparing acts of terrorism between December 2023 and May 2024.
Ringleader Saadaoui was caged for life with a minimum of 37 years, while Hussein, who refused to attend court, was jailed for at least 26 years.
Saadaoui’s brother Bilel, 36, was found guilty of failing to disclose information about the plan.
The court heard Saadaoui arranged for the purchase and delivery of semi-automatic rifles and conducted reconnaissance while identifying targets.
The guns were the same type as those used in Paris in 2015 when 130 people were killed and hundreds injured in a series of terrorist attacks.
Preston Crown Court heard Saadaoui hero-worshipped ISIS terrorist Abdelhamid Abaaoud who orchestrated the deadly attacks.
The former restaurant owner planned to meet a weapons dealer called Farouk in the car park of the Last Drop hotel in Bolton in May 2024.
But Tunisia national Saadaoui was unaware Farouk was an undercover operative who had infiltrated jihadist social media networks.
The ISIS fanatic was arrested in a police sting as he attempted to take possession of two assault rifles, a semi-automatic pistol and almost 200 rounds of ammunition.
Police bodycam footage showed officers waiting in unmarked cars as Saadaoui arrived to pick up the delivery.
He attempted to flee but was pulled to the ground shortly after by an officer and arrested.
Saadaoui first came to the attention of the authorities when he used ten Facebook accounts, none of which were in his own name.
The profiles were used to spew vile Islamic extremist views – with one used to join the Facebook group of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester.
It contained key details of a “March Against Antisemitism” held in the city centre on January 21 2024, which thousands attended.
Days later he told Farouk: “Here in Manchester, we have the biggest Jewish community.
“God willing we will degrade and humiliate them (in the worst way possible), and hit them where it hurts.”
Saadaoui recruited fellow ISIS sympathiser Hussein, a Kuwaiti national, who worked and lived at a furniture shop in Bolton, Greater Manchester.
In March 2024, the pair travelled to Dover, Kent, to conduct hostile reconnaissance on how a weapon could be smuggled through the port.
On his return, Saadaoui travelled to Prestwich and Higher Broughton in north Manchester.
He carried out similar surveillance on Jewish nurseries, schools, synagogues and shops.
A safe house was also secured in Bolton for the storage of the weapons.
Both men returned to Dover two months later where they believed they were watching the firearms coming into the country.
The court heard specific target site or date was identified but the pair planned to open fire on an antisemitism march.
They then plotted to head to north Manchester – at the heart of one of Europe’s largest Jewish communities – to slaughter as many Jews “as possible”.
Saadaoui said the deaths of any Christians would be “a bonus”.
He and his brother, who had been living in the UK for several years legally, swore allegiance to ISIS before coming to the country.
Hussein, who had also sworn allegiance to ISIS, is understood to have been living in the UK legally after serving in Saddam Hussein’s army.
Following the verdicts, Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Robert Potts hailed the bravery of the officers involved.
She said: “What Walid Saadaoui was trying to achieve was a terrorist attack on the Jewish community that given the weaponry involved could potentially have been the deadliest terrorist attack in UK history.
“Some of the things he said made it very clear that he regarded a less sophisticated attack with less lethal weaponry as not being good enough as he saw it was his duty to kill as many Jewish people as he could.
“That wasn’t going to be achieved via the use of a knife, or potentially a vehicle, as a weapon.
“There was very real risk and danger for Farouk who undoubtedly saved lives.
“I cannot overemphasise his courage, bravery and professionalism in the role that he played.
“It was intrinsic to our ability to continue to develop the investigation and allow Walid to continue with his plans up until the point, working with the CPS, we were satisfied that we had sufficient evidence to get the most significant charges authorised.”
