Foiled ISIS-inspired plot: Two men jailed for life over planned attack on Jewish community in UK

The convicted men have been identified as Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52.

At Preston Crown Court, Walid Saadaoui was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 37 years. Amar Hussein also received a life sentence and must serve a minimum of 26 years.

The sentences follow guilty verdicts delivered in December 2025, when both Saadaoui and Hussein were convicted of preparation of terrorist acts, contrary to Section 5(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2006.

A third man, Bilel Saadaoui, was found guilty of failing to disclose information about an act of terrorism. He was sentenced to six years in prison, along with an additional year to be served in the community on licence.

According to a statement from Greater Manchester Police, in late 2023 Walid Saadaoui made contact online with a man he believed shared his extremist views. The two exchanged frequent messages, during which Saadaoui expressed his intent to carry out a significant terrorist attack targeting Jewish people.

Unbeknownst to him, the individual he was communicating with was an undercover operative, identified in court as “Farouk” to protect his identity.

Saadaoui later introduced “Farouk” to Amar Hussein, whom he considered like-minded and willing to participate in the plot. The pair believed the undercover operative could arrange the importation of automatic firearms from abroad for use in the planned attack.

Over the following months, the men developed their plans. Police said they carried out reconnaissance in the Upper Broughton area of Salford and travelled to the Port of Dover to observe what they believed would be the route for smuggling illegal firearms into the country.

During the undercover operation, it emerged that Walid Saadaoui had discussed his plans with his brother, Bilel Saadaoui. He openly referenced his brother’s awareness of the plot in conversations with the undercover officer and later admitted this during cross-examination, having initially denied it when questioned.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts, who oversees counter-terrorism policing in the North West, said the two men intended to target members of the Jewish community in what he described as “an evil act born out of hate and intolerance.”

He added that, had the plot succeeded, it could have resulted in devastating consequences and potentially become one of the deadliest terrorist attacks ever carried out on UK soil.