ISIS-Linked Men Convicted Over Foiled Mass Terror Plot Against Jews In Manchester

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM (Worthy News) – Three men face the New Year behind bars after being found guilty of plotting to kill as many Jews as possible in Greater Manchester—an attack authorities said could have been one of Britain’s deadliest terror plots in years.

A jury at Preston Crown Court convicted Walid Saadaoui (38) and Amar Hussein (52) of preparing acts of terrorism between December 13, 2023, and May 9, 2024, after prosecutors said they swore allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS).

Prosecutors said the pair planned a marauding gun attack targeting the Jewish community in Greater Manchester—part of Britain’s roughly 280,000-strong Jewish population—about 260 kilometers (160 miles) north of London.

A third defendant, Bilel Saadaoui (36), Walid’s brother, was convicted of failing to disclose information about terrorist activity.

BACKGROUND OF THE DEFENDANTS

Court testimony showed the Saadaoui brothers are Tunisian nationals who had lived in Britain legally for several years.

Walid Saadaoui, a former Italian restaurant owner, was described by prosecutors as the driving force behind the plot.

Amar Hussein, who also lived legally in the UK, told associates he had previously served in the army of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, prosecutors said.

Bilel Saadaoui worked in a discount retail shop, according to evidence presented during the trial.

UNDERCOVER OPERATION FOILS ATTACK

According to prosecutors, Walid Saadaoui arranged weapons purchases, conducted reconnaissance, and identified targets, believing he was dealing with a fellow extremist.

The supposed arms supplier—known to the suspects as “Farouk”—was in fact an undercover police officer who infiltrated jihadist networks and gathered evidence, officials said.

Saadaoui was arrested in a police sting on May 8, 2024, as he attempted to take possession of assault rifles, a semi-automatic pistol, and nearly 200 rounds of ammunition in a hotel car park in Bolton.

Investigators said the weapons were similar to those used in the 2015 Paris terror attacks, which killed at least 130 people, including the attackers, and injured hundreds.

VERDICTS AND SENTENCING

All three defendants denied the charges during a trial lasting nearly three months. Sentencing is scheduled for February 13, 2026.

Reacting to the verdicts, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson praised officers and prosecutors for stopping what he described as a plot driven by “extreme hatred toward the Jewish community.”

The Crown Prosecution Service said the investigation prevented a mass-casualty attack and secured decisive evidence.

The foiled plot has also fueled debate in Britain’s political arena, with anti-migration parties and commentators viewing the case as evidence of extremist interpretations of Islam, even among individuals who had lived in the country for years.

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