On Tuesday, a jury at Preston Crown Court found Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, guilty. They were guilty, in large part, for planning acts of terror. The action took place over the course of December 13, 2023 through May 9, 2024. Its intent was to launch a marauding death attack in Greater Manchester, home to one of Europe’s largest Jewish communities. These convictions stem from an increasing concern regarding the threat posed by extremists in the UK. Such concerns have been exacerbated since the outbreak of the current conflict in Gaza.
Both signed their allegiance to the Islamic State. This designated foreign terrorist organization has perpetrated thousands of attacks worldwide. The court found that Saadaoui and Hussein responded to a “call to arms” from ISIS. This response was issued in the context of recent dramatic escalation in violence in Gaza. Their actions were part of a larger national trend of radicalization and extremism that has affected many communities across our country.
Notably, Saadaoui corresponded with an undercover operative dubbed “Farouk,” detailing his links to Islamic State. He described liaising with “brothers who are insiders and are operatives,” indicating a network of individuals involved in extremist activities. Saadaoui quickly made plans for the sale and transport of semi-automatic rifles. He did hard target analysis and mission planning to be sure targets could be hit without collateral damage.
On May 8, 2024, local law enforcement agencies arrested Saadaoui in a cooperative police sting operation. He was trying to smuggle two assault rifles, a semi-automatic pistol and almost 200 rounds of ammunition into the UK when he tried to collect them at Last Drop hotel car park in Bolton. That made this operation key to stop them from executing their planned attack.
Hussein was thought to have been living lawfully in the UK. His story is shaped by a lineage that includes service in Saddam Hussein’s army. The Saadaoui brothers, Tunisian nationals who had lived in the UK for many years without bothering anybody, were suddenly public enemy number one. Jurors heard how the group harbored a “visceral hatred” of Jewish people.
Frank Ferguson, spokesperson for the investigation and prosecution, called the operation undercover operation the largest in its scope money laundering.
“The investigation and prosecution deployed a highly trained witness who made sure their plot did not succeed and secured valuable evidence directly from the mouths of the terrorists.” – Frank Ferguson
The arms intended for that failed operation were similar to those used in the horrific Paris assault of November 13, 2015. This last weekend’s horrific events—that of Nice, France on July 14, 2016, which killed 130 people and injured more than 450—illustrate the threat. This link highlights just how dangerous and effective Saadaoui and Hussein’s plans could have been.
Stephen Watson, a representative involved in the case, emphasized the depth of hatred exhibited by the defendants toward the Jewish community.
“It was clear throughout this trial that the scale of the offenders’ hatred towards our Jewish community knew no bounds.” – Stephen Watson
The undercover operative’s role was particularly dangerous. The risks taken by Farouk were tremendously high, and officials praised his courage and professionalism during this complicated investigation.
“There was very real risk and danger for Farouk, who undoubtedly saved lives.” – Unnamed source