Mass Murder Plot
Two Men Arrested in UK for Allegedly Planning ISIS-Inspired Attack Against Jewish Community
British prosecutors allege that two men arrested in Northwest England were plotting an ISIS-inspired attack against the local Jewish community with the goal of "killing hundreds of innocent people."
Two men were arrested in Northwest England this week on suspicion of planning a major terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community in the area, according to a report. British prosecutors stated as the trial opened that the suspects aimed to "kill hundreds of innocent people."
The two principal suspects, Walid Saadaoui (38) and Amer Hussein (52), were arrested on suspicion of starting preparations for committing acts of terrorism. Saadaoui's brother, Bilel Saadaoui (36), was also charged with failing to disclose information about terrorist acts. All three suspects have pleaded not guilty to the charges, and their trial is proceeding at the court in Preston.
Adopting ISIS Ideology
The prosecution presented its case, claiming that Walid Saadaoui and Amer Hussein had "adopted the worldview of the so-called Islamic State, ISIS." Furthermore, the prosecutor emphasized that the two men were allegedly ready to risk their lives to become "martyrs" (individuals willing to suffer and die for their religious belief).
The judge, Mark Wall, made a point of stressing to the jury that the trial is entirely unrelated to a deadly synagogue attack that occurred in Manchester just last week, noting the timing is purely coincidental.
The severity of the charges underscores the persistent threat of religiously motivated violence against minority communities in the UK.
Similar Plot Foiled in Germany
The arrests in the UK follow a similar case that occurred less than a week prior in Germany, where a Hamas-affiliated terror cell was apprehended. That bust was the result of close intelligence cooperation between the Israeli Mossad and German security services.
According to the Israeli intelligence organization, the cell in Germany was also planning to carry out attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets in the country. The arrests were made following a joint operation last Wednesday, coinciding with the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
During the raid, authorities discovered an arsenal of weapons, including an AK-47 assault rifle (Kalashnikov), several handguns, and a large quantity of ammunition, all of which were allegedly intended for use in the planned attack. The cooperation between the intelligence agencies in foiling both the German and potentially the UK plots highlights the increasing transnational nature of the threat.