Overview
- Preston Crown Court imposed life sentences on Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein with minimum terms of 37 and 26 years for preparing terrorist acts, with the judge saying they were very close to carrying out one of the UK’s deadliest attacks.
- A third defendant, Saadaoui’s brother Bilel, was jailed for six years for failing to disclose information about the conspiracy.
- The operation used an undercover operative known as Farouk, who arranged a controlled handover of deactivated firearms at the Last Drop hotel car park in Bolton on May 8, 2024, where Saadaoui was arrested.
- Prosecutors said the pair intended to open fire at an antisemitism march in Manchester before attacking Jewish areas in north Manchester, including schools, synagogues and shops.
- Evidence showed efforts to secure four AK‑47s, two handguns and about 900 rounds and reconnaissance at the Port of Dover, Prestwich and Higher Broughton, with police later praised by Jewish community leaders for preventing mass casualties.