British security services have thwarted a chilling plot to carry out a gun massacre targeting the Jewish community in Manchester, described by police as potentially the nation's 'worst ever' terrorist atrocity.
The Plot and Its Mastermind
In his own words, would-be terrorist Walid Saadaoui, 38, expressed a twisted desire for mass murder, stating he wanted to 'run rivers of their impure blood' – with any Christians killed considered 'a bonus'. The Tunisian-born former hotel entertainer, who entered the UK on a spousal visa in 2012 after marrying a British holidaymaker, plotted the attack as revenge for Israel's military operations in Gaza.
Saadaoui, who 'hero-worshipped' Paris attacks mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud, conspired with fellow migrant and Islamic State supporter Amar Hussein. Hussein, who claimed to be a former Iraqi soldier, came to Britain in 2007 and ran an electrical appliance business in Bolton.
Undercover Operation Uncovers Deadly Plan
Thankfully, the conspiracy was infiltrated by an undercover police operative using the alias 'Farouk'. Saadaoui believed Farouk was sourcing firearms, but in reality, every communication was being monitored. In messages to Farouk, Saadaoui dismissed using a knife or vehicle, insisting 'only the automatic gun' would suffice for the slaughter he envisioned.
'I want to kill as many as possible,' he wrote. 'I have an overwhelming urge. I feel sometimes I will go out and kill them with stones, then I say to myself it will be a waste.'
In a voice note on Christmas Day 2023, he chillingly referenced the Paris attacks, saying: 'We must run rivers of their impure blood.'
Hostile Reconnaissance and Arrest
In March 2024, Saadaoui and Hussein travelled to Dover, Kent, to conduct hostile reconnaissance on security. Days later, they scouted targets in North Manchester, home to Britain's largest Jewish community outside London. Their list included nurseries, schools, restaurants, coffee shops, and synagogues.
Saadaoui told Farouk: 'We start with the Jews and if there any Christians caught in the act, that is a bonus... We open fire on them, young, old, women, elderly, the whole lot, killing them all.'
The plot reached its climax on 9 May 2024, when Saadaoui drove to a Lancashire spa hotel car park for a prearranged handover of weapons. He intended to acquire four AK-47 assault rifles, two handguns, and over 900 rounds of ammunition. Seconds after arriving, armed officers who had been lying in wait arrested him. All weapons had been safely deactivated.
Evidence, Convictions, and Community Impact
Searches of Saadaoui's home in Wigan uncovered two safes – one containing £15,000 cash and a copy of his will, and another, concreted into the ground, holding £77,000. He had used proceeds from the sale of a restaurant and a house to fund his plans.
Following a trial at the Old Bailey, Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein were found guilty of preparing acts of terrorism between December 2023 and May 2024. Hussein refused to attend his trial, telling police: 'Terrorism is our religion... We are proud.'
Saadaoui's brother, Bilel Saadaoui, 35, was found guilty of failing to disclose information about the terrorist plot. All three will be sentenced in February.
Greater Manchester Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson condemned the 'extraordinarily dangerous terrorists' and their 'vicious anti-Semitism'. Mark Gardner, chief executive of the Community Security Trust, warned that since the 7 October Hamas attacks, sections of society had 'turned against Jews'. He compared the extremists to Nazis, stating they simply 'want to kill Jews, end of story'.
The foiled attack serves as a stark reminder of the lethal threat posed by homegrown extremism and the critical role of covert police work in protecting British communities.
