How an undercover cop foiled an IS plot to massacre Britain’s Jews – podcast | Antisemitism

Walid Saadaoui once worked as a holiday entertainer, hosting dance shows and trivia contests at a resort in his native Tunisia. After moving to the UK and marrying an English woman, he became a restaurateur and an avid bird keeper.

But in the meantime, as the Guardian’s community affairs correspondent, Chris Osuhhe explains: He was hiding a secret: He had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.

On Friday, Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, were sentenced to life imprisonment after attempting to carry out one of the deadliest terror attacks in the UK. They had planned a devastating attack on Greater Manchester’s Jewish community. Unbeknownst to them, the ISIS supporter involved in the plot, codenamed ‘Farouk’, was actually an undercover police officer.

Saadaoui’s younger brother, Bilel Saadaoui, was sentenced to six years in prison for failing to disclose information about the plan.

Osuh, who followed the hearing, speaks Helen Pidd about how the conspiracy was uncovered and the impact it had on one of the world’s largest Jewish communities.