UK: Two Islamist Extremists Foiled in Plot for What Authorities Say Could Have Been the Deadliest Terror Attack Targeting Jewish Communities, Claiming “We Are God’s Army”

Image: Jihad Watch

Two Islamic State extremists have been convicted for plotting a mass-casualty gun attack aimed at Manchester’s Jewish community—an atrocity police say could have become the deadliest terrorist attack in British history.

Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, were found guilty by a jury at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday after a trial that laid bare the scale, intent, and ideological motivation behind their plan. Prosecutors told the court the pair were preparing a suicide-style marauding firearms attack, having already taken concrete steps to acquire assault rifles, handguns, and large quantities of ammunition. The plot was explicitly directed at Jewish targets, with any Christian victims dismissed by the conspirators as “a bonus.”

Saadaoui’s brother, Bilel Saddaoui, 36, of Fairclough Street in Hindley, Wigan, was also convicted for failing to disclose information about the terror plans, despite being aware of the imminent danger posed by the plot.

Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts described the scheme as one of extraordinary severity, warning that had it been carried out, it would likely have eclipsed all previous terrorist attacks in the UK in terms of loss of life. An attack in a densely populated area frequented by members of the Jewish community, he said, would have had “catastrophic” consequences.

Evidence presented in court showed that Saadaoui, a former Italian restaurant owner from a Norfolk seaside town, was deeply radicalised. He was said to “hero-worship” Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Islamic State terrorist who orchestrated the 2015 Paris attacks that killed 130 people. Saadaoui aspired to replicate a similar style of coordinated, high-casualty violence on British soil.

In preparation, Saadaoui sold his business and home, relocated to northern England, and used part of the proceeds from the sale of his house to pay an initial €5,000 (£4,400) toward the purchase of four AK-47 assault rifles, two handguns, and approximately 1,200 rounds of ammunition. Prosecutors said the planned attack was framed by Saadaoui as “revenge” for Israeli military action in Gaza, a justification commonly used by extremist groups to legitimise violence against Jewish civilians.

The intended location was the same area of Manchester where, months later, another extremist, Jihad al Shamie, fatally stabbed a worshipper outside a synagogue on 2 October—underscoring the continued threat faced by the Jewish community.

Co-defendant Amar Hussein compounded concerns by refusing to attend much of his own trial. When arrested, police discovered two knives concealed under the front seat of his car. During his detention, Hussein openly declared his extremist beliefs, telling officers he was “proud” to be a terrorist and claiming that his actions were divinely ordained, describing himself as part of an “army from God.”

Chillingly, recorded conversations played in court revealed the unambiguous targeting behind the plot. Saadaoui was heard stating that the operation would begin with Jews, adding that if Christians were killed in the process, it would simply be an added outcome rather than a deterrent.

The convictions bring to light not only a narrowly averted mass-murder plot but also the persistent threat posed by ideologically driven extremism in the UK. Authorities stressed that the case demonstrates the importance of intelligence gathering, community vigilance, and early intervention in preventing acts of large-scale terror before they can be carried out.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)