Image: from WeGotitBack X@NotFarLeftAtAll
By Open Chronicle Staff with Agencies | December 24, 2025
PRESTON, UK — Two Islamic State-inspired extremists were found guilty on Tuesday of plotting a “marauding gun attack” intended to kill hundreds of people within the Jewish community of North West England. Prosecutors at Preston Crown Court described the planned massacre as a potential rival to the deadliest terrorist atrocities in British history.
The Convictions
Following a high-stakes 10-week trial, the jury delivered guilty verdicts for three men involved in the conspiracy.
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Walid Saadaoui (38): Found guilty of preparation of terrorist acts. Described as the “primary instigator,” Saadaoui moved to the North West specifically to coordinate the attack.
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Amar Hussein (52): Found guilty of preparation of terrorist acts. A former Iraqi soldier, Hussein, was Saadaoui’s main accomplice and was prepared to act as a “martyr.”
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Bilel Saadaoui (36): Walid’s brother, found guilty of failing to disclose information about a terrorist plot. While he declined to join the shooting spree, he was entrusted with his brother’s will and £70,000 in cash to care for the family after the attack.
Two men have been convicted of plotting to mass murder Jewish people in the UK in circumstances strikingly similar to the Bondi attack. Undercover police foiled the plot, saving an untold number of innocent lives. @Ben_Downie pic.twitter.com/Lf3nEPfivp
— 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) December 24, 2025
The Plot: Guns, “Bird Seed,” and Martyrdom
Investigators revealed that the pair planned to disguise themselves in Jewish clothing to gain access to schools, synagogues, and nurseries in Cheetham Hill and Prestwich. Their goal was to replicate the 2015 Bataclan attack in Paris, which Saadaoui reportedly “hero-worshipped.”
| Element | Details of the Conspiracy |
| The Arsenal | Attempted to acquire 4 AK-47 assault rifles, 2 pistols, and 1,200 rounds of ammunition. |
| The Code | Used beekeeping and bird-watching terminology; guns were called “goldfinches” and ammunition “bird seed.” |
| The Sting | The weapons supplier was actually an undercover officer known as “Farouk,” who infiltrated the group in late 2023. |
| The Targets | Specifically targeted “young, old, women, elderly” within the Jewish community, viewing any Christian casualties as “a bonus.” |
“They sought to bring slaughter to the innocent… their hatred toward our Jewish community knew no bounds,” said Sir Stephen Watson, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police.
A Resurgent Global Threat
The conviction comes during a period of heightened alert following a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney’s Bondi Beach earlier this month, which left 15 dead.12 While Islamic State (IS) no longer controls a physical caliphate, security officials warn that the group has successfully “exported violence” by radicalizing individuals online.
Key Security Insights:
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Prevent Referrals: UK Home Office data shows a 27% increase in referrals to the Prevent anti-radicalization program in 2025.
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Shift in Tactics: Saadaoui explicitly rejected low-sophistication attacks (knives or vehicles), telling undercover officers that “automatic guns” were required for the “catastrophic” impact he desired.
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The “Farouk” Operation: Assistant Chief Constable Robert Potts praised the undercover operative who “put himself in significant danger” to secure evidence directly from the suspects’ mouths.
Impact on the Community
The plot has sent shockwaves through one of Europe’s largest Jewish populations. Recent polling by the Campaign Against Antisemitism suggests that 51% of British Jews no longer believe they have a long-term future in the UK, a sentiment compounded by a recent vehicle attack outside a Manchester synagogue in October.