Islamist terror suspects ‘bought assault rifles, handguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in plot to kill Jews in Manchester in attack likened to Paris 2015 massacre’

The court heard two Islamic State-inspired extremists bought assault rifles, handguns and hundreds of bullets as they prepared for a suicide attack on Manchester’s Jewish community.

Walid Saadaoui, 38, of Abram, near Wigan, was arrested by police in a car park in Bolton as he collected the weapons following an undercover operation.

Before the trial began, Mr Justice Wall told the jury: ‘The case centers on an alleged conspiracy to murder Jews in Manchester.

‘We are trying to do this against the background of what happened in Manchester last week. This is a coincidence; It is not part of the prosecution’s case that any of these defendants had anything to do with what happened at the synagogue in Manchester last week.

‘You have to judge them fairly, without any reference or thought to what happened there. ‘It is irrelevant for the purposes of this case.’

The jury at Preston Crown Court was shown police body-worn footage of Saadaoui running from officers approaching to arrest him on May 8 last year.

He, along with Amar Hussein, 52, is accused of preparing a terrorist attack by planning the attack, conducting reconnaissance and arranging the purchase and delivery of firearms.

Prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu KC told the jury: ‘The firearms and ammunition that Walid Saadaoui was about to buy were capable of causing untold harm.

‘Untold damage is exactly what Walid Saadaoui planned to cause together with Amar Hussein.’

As soon as Hussein’s name was mentioned, he shouted to the other side of the field: ‘Nonsense talk, how many babies, how many children? ‘Don’t talk nonsense, we are defending ourselves.’

The court rose and the judge, Mr Justice Wall, then told the jury: ‘Members of the jury, I am sorry about this.

‘Mr Hussein has decided that he does not want to be in court for the remainder of the opening.’

When the hearing resumed, Mr Sandhu told the court that Walid Saadaoui was about to take the firearms and ammunition because he and Hussein were planning to cause ‘mass deaths’.

“In particular, they planned to kill as many members of the Jewish community as possible, particularly those in North West England,” the lawyer said.

‘Their plan was to take weapons and ammunition and identify a mass Jewish community that they could attack.’

He said they planned to attack areas of Greater Manchester with a large Jewish population and also kill police officers who got in their way.

Hussein’s phone contained images of the exterior and interior of Manchester’s Jewish Museum, as well as images of firearms, recorded on July 18, 2022.

The prosecution said both men were Islamic extremists who espoused the views of the so-called Islamic State and were prepared to risk their own lives to become ‘martyrs’.

‘By May 2024, they have spent months preparing for terrorist acts. This included preparing themselves for their own death,’ Mr Sandhu said.

The two men will stand trial alongside Saadaoui’s younger brother Bilel, 36, from Hindley, near Wigan. He was accused of not disclosing information regarding a terrorist act.

It was stated that Bilel Saadaoui was sympathetic to the views of the Islamic State and received a copy of the will prepared by his brother and tens of thousands of pounds in cash to provide for his brother’s family.

Mr Sandhu said police were able to catch Walid Saadaoui ‘red-handed’ because they believed the two men were planning their terrorist attack with a third man named Farouk, who wanted to kill hundreds of innocent people like themselves.

“But what they didn’t know was that Faruk was a secret agent,” he added.

‘The plans of Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein were revealed thanks to their communication with Farouk, and as a result the police managed to prevent these plans from turning into a tragic reality.’

Bilel Saadaoui appears outside Preston Crown Court today where he is on trial for terrorism offenses

Mr Sandhu described how Walid Saadaoui was standing next to the open boot of the car in a hotel car park in Bolton when officers approached him.

The vehicle contained two assault rifles, a semi-automatic pistol and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition.

Saadaoui had arranged, paid for, and delivered firearms and ammunition to be smuggled into the country, and he was waiting for two assault rifles, a pistol, and more ammunition to be smuggled into the country.

The prosecutor said he had a total of six firearms in his possession and his plan was to possess at least 900 rounds of ammunition.

‘These firearms are very violent weapons. Assault rifles are capable of firing several hundred rounds per minute.

‘These were the type of firearms used in many terrorist attacks, including one in Paris in 2015 that killed nearly 130 people and injured hundreds.’

In a message, Bilel Saadaoui sent Amar Hussein a link to a news report reporting that 25 Jews were killed and 150 injured when a bridge collapsed during Hannukah celebrations, to which Hussein responded: ‘Allah is truly vigilant over them’.

Mr Sandhu said it was ‘not a message of tolerance, but a message boasting about the death of the Jewish people’.

Amar Hussein and Walid Saadaoui planned to kill Jews because they had a deep-seated hatred for Jews. “Amar Hussein’s response, which we have just read, shows how deep-rooted and deep-rooted this discontent is,” he added.

The trial continues.