Copyright manchestereveningnews
A jury has been shown police surveillance footage of two alleged Islamic State fanatics said to be plotting the mass murder of Jews in Manchester conducting a 'reconnaissance mission to smuggle guns' through Dover. The footage showed Tunisia-born former restaurateur Walid Saadaoui and Iraq-raised Amar Hussein at the White Cliffs of Dover National Trust park using binoculars to view the port of Dover during the morning of March 16, 2024. The pair were unaware they were being watched and that their conversation was being recorded by an undercover operative named only Farouk who was posing as a jihadi. The agent had driven all three south for the two-hour visit, the court heard. Jurors were shown surveillance footage of the three men, with Farouk blurred so he could not be identified, at the National Trust property. They could be seen pointing towards the port and viewing it through binoculars while Mr Hussein also took a selfie video showing himself and the port in the background. Prosecutors say two defendants were conducting reconnaissance ahead of the smuggling of guns for an alleged plot to murder as many Jews as possible in Cheetham Hill, Higher Broughton and Prestwich in the summer of 2024. When counter terror cops arrested him in May 2024, Mr Saadaoui tried to flee but officers found two assault rifles, a semi-automatic pistol and almost 200 rounds of ammunition in his car, the court has been told. He was awaiting delivery of a further two assault rifles, another pistol and more ammunition to lunch a terror attack to kills 'as many Jews as possible' in Prestwich , Higher Broughton and Cheetham Hill in the summer of 2024, according to the Crown. As the trial of Mr Saadaoui and his co-defendant Amar Hussein - who deny terror charges - continued today, an undercover operative named only 'Farouk' began his seventh day in the witness box. The agent, giving evidence from behind a screen, told the jurors about a trip the three men made to Dover on March 16, 2024. The prosecution say the trio conducted reconnaissance on the port ahead of the smuggling of the first tranche of guns on May 8. Questioned by prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu KC, Farouk told the jury that he told the two defendants that his guns contact, the 'Algerian middleman', had advised them not transfer the weapons from one car to another immediately after the guns had been smuggled through the port. Amar Hussein was captured saying 'he's right' when Farouk said they should travel to Manchester before removing the guns from one car boot to another close to the port. Farouk had told the two defendants they should avoid the 'risk area'. "I told him I was advised not to do this as it would raise suspicions if someone sees us exchanging boot to toot. Amar Hussein was saying the person who gave us this advice was right," Farouk told the court. Farouk was captured telling the defendants: "Praise be to god - you found the place which he sent me. He told me to go to it." Walid Hussein was said to have replied: "Yeah, yeah, I checked on the internet and said that this is the most suitable location. There is no better point than this one, you know?" The jury heard that Amar Hussein expressed concern about smuggling the guns into England and the attack should take place in France. When Walid Saadaoui queried this, Amar Hussein was captured saying: "Yeah honestly, here it is risky. I am not liking this. Why risk it and bring the weapons and all that? You paid an amount, it reached France, that's where we should do it." Walid replied 'honestly sheikh' and he went on: "Our hearts are full for these non believers." Amar Hussein suggested it was 'dangerous' to carry out an attack in England but Walid went on that 'here in Manchester they have the second largest Jewish community'. "No honestly?" Amar Hussein said and Walid replied 'yeah' and Amar said 'ahhh'. But Amar Hussein continued to suggest the attack should take place in France and he was captured telling the two men: "I mean as long as things are there, - thank God – it’s there anyway… do it there my brother. Honestly. The main thing is that we kill those ones, we slaughter the non-believers. The Jews and the non-believers. Over there, God will help in our success. Other people after us will do it.” The jurors were told that at one stage all three men were laughing when the trio agreed they would carry out an attack. Walid said: "We have decided, that's it. We will carry on like this and it'll be fine god willing." Amar Hussein said: "God Willing, honestly." Farouk: "It'll be fine, rejoice, rejoice, Ammar." Later Walid said: "We're involved in it... Us, like this, are involved in it (all laughing). The creation of a terrorist gang (all laughing)." Walid Saadoui suggested to the two men they would 'find a Jewish gathering, we will dress like them with the hat and everything'. Farouk told the jury the defendant was talking about 'blending in' with members of the Jewish community before launching an attack. After he had taken a video of the port on his mobile phone, Walid told Amar Hussein to delete pictures he had taken with his phone as a 'safety measure', the jurors were told. "You are not in it. No voice nor that," Mr Hussein told the two men adding that would delete them. Walid Saadaoui was captured telling the two others about a terror attack in Tunisia where an attacker had a machine gun 'hidden in a towel' on a beach. He found people on the beach and 'implemented on them', he was said to have told the others. The jurors are told the defendant was captured saying: "God, my brother. He takes out the magazine from his pocket like this and in his mind he changes and moves like this and like that, tac tac tac tac tac. The magazine empties, he stops, he changes, praise be to God." As he discussed another attack in Tunisia when fighters were killed, Walid 'was visibly upset and started crying', Farouk told the court. On the journey back to the north from Dover, Farouk said Walid Saadaoui was singing along to a 'nasheed', or religious song. The jurors heard that the day after the alleged reconnaissance mission, on March 17, 2024, Walid Saadaoui took Farouk on a tour of alleged targets in north Manchester. The pair are said to have discussed telling Amar Hussein 'everything'. Walid was captured telling Farouk: "We at some point will tell him everything if God permits we will agree once the first weapons come in, if you wanted that we tell him. If you don’t want that we tell him and leave him as we say until he attends at the target. Because he needs to attend the target. "And I am 100% certain between now and then, those infidels will organise a march, we will go now and see. But the weather my brother, by God the weather. If we see 18 or 20, we will see them spread everywhere. I told you in this country we will require good weather." Farouk told the jury that '18 or 20' was a reference to Jews. Later, while discussing guns, Walid told Farouk: "I wouldn't lie to you but I haven't had a weapon in my hand before. I have an idea, that it can be used without the handle. Forgive me please." Asked about this comment, Farouk told the jury: "Previously he mentioned he had experience handling firearms. Now he's telling me he's not had firearms in his hand before and he could not advise as to whether it's the best option not to remove the handle." Walid, using a code word 'goldfinch' to describe guns, was said to have discussed disguising himself as a Jew and stealing an ambulance during the alleged attack. The jurors heard that he told Farouk: "I have a lot of things to do, with Gods willing if the European goldfinch is ready. There are many things I want to complete. The first thing, I wanted to buy Jewish clothes. "A full set to be ready. After that I will go and buy an ambulance uniform… Just to be cautious, if we execute and then escape the scene. Will will be chased. We take off the Jewish attire and put of the ambulance uniform. I have another plan that we steal an ambulance car, they are around." Mr Saadaoui and Mr Hussein have pleaded not guilty to preparation of terrorist acts, namely that between December 13, 2023, and May 9, 2024, with the intention of committing acts of terrorism, they arranged for the purchase and delivery of firearms, conducted reconnaissance and made plans of attack. The court has heard that Mr Saadaoui's defence is that he was being pressured by others and that he planned to sabotage the plot and alert the police. Walid’s brother, Bilel Saadaoui, 36, from Hindley, Wigan, has pleaded not guilty to a single charge of failing to disclose acts of terrorism between the same dates. Proceeding
