Two Men Jailed Over ISIS Plot to Massacre Manchester Jews

British authorities have thwarted what officials described as a potential mass-casualty attack against the Jewish community in Manchester, sentencing two men to life in prison for an Islamic State-inspired terror plot.

Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, were convicted at Preston Crown Court of preparing acts of terrorism between December 2023 and May 2024. Prosecutors said the pair planned a coordinated firearms assault aimed at killing as many Jews as possible.

Saadaoui, a Tunisian-born resident of Wigan, was identified as the mastermind. He received a life sentence with a minimum term of 37 years. Hussein, a Kuwaiti national based in Bolton, was ordered to serve at least 26 years. Saadaoui’s younger brother, Bilel Saadaoui, 37, was sentenced to six years in prison for failing to alert authorities to the planned attack.

According to court proceedings, the two men swore allegiance to ISIS and prepared for a marauding assault using automatic weapons. Their plan was to disguise themselves as Jews and open fire on a march against antisemitism in Manchester. They intended to continue toward suburbs north of the city center, home to one of Europe’s largest Jewish communities, and carry out further shootings.

The operation was disrupted after an undercover operative, known to the suspects as “Farouk,” infiltrated jihadist online networks and gained their trust. The operative supplied the weapons as part of a controlled counter-terror operation, leading to their arrest before the attack could be executed.

In sentencing, Judge Mark Wall told the defendants that “this would likely have been one of the deadliest terrorist attacks ever carried out on British soil.”

He added, “Your plan envisaged you and two others discharging AK-47s into a large crowd of marchers, who were unarmed and defenseless. One hundred and twenty bullets could have been discharged before any reloads were required. You planned to have spare magazines available. Your attack would have led to the deaths of people of all ages, including children.”

Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Robert Potts said after the verdict that, “given the weaponry and ammunition involved, could potentially have been the deadliest terrorist attack in U.K. history.”

Court testimony revealed that Saadaoui had previously considered carrying out a lone stabbing attack but escalated his plans following October 7. Prosecutors said he shifted toward a larger, coordinated firearms strike targeting Jewish civilians.

British counter-terror officials said the infiltration prevented what could have been a large-scale massacre and underscored the continuing threat posed by ISIS-inspired extremists targeting Jewish communities in Europe.