UK
Man accused of planning attack on British Jews wanted to ‘kill as many as possible’
Court hears that Walid Saadaoui took inspiration from the 2015 Bataclan terror attack in Paris
October 16, 2025 16:51
Court hears that Walid Saadaoui took inspiration from the 2015 Bataclan terror attack in Paris
October 16, 2025 16:51A man accused of plotting to massacre Jews in Britain wrote that he wanted to kill as many “as possible” and praised the 2015 Bataclan terror attacks in Paris, a jury has heard.
Walid Saadaoui, 38, was said to have “hero-worshipped” Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the terrorist who orchestrated the November 2015 gun raids across the French capital including at the Bataclan theatre, and allegedly wanted to emulate him by killing as many Jewish people as he could in the north-west of England.
The prosecution said the plot of Saadaoui and co-defendant Amar Hussein, 52, was stopped from becoming “tragic reality” when they unwittingly laid bare their plans to an undercover operative.
This led, they said, to Saadoui’s arrest in May last year, when two assault rifles, a semi-automatic pistol and almost 200 rounds of ammunition were found in his car boot.
On Thursday, the law enforcement operative – known only as Farouk – told jurors at Preston Crown Court that Saadaoui accepted a Facebook friend request from him on December 13 2013.
Saadoui’s Facebook account was created in the name of Liya Ernia with a profile picture of Abaaoud, the court heard.
Farouk said he took on the “persona” of a supporter of the so-called Islamic State in messages in Arabic that followed with Saadaoui.
In one message, Saadaoui said: “May God preserve you. You need to do what he had done. Make him a role model and carry out operations against the Jews and the Crusaders there and hitting them there affects them badly.”
Farouk told the jury he believed that Saadoui was telling him he needed to conduct a similar attack that Abaaoud carried out in France.
Later that month, Saadaoui wrote: “I can use a knife in the operation but this will not be enough to take revenge, only the automatic gun. I want to kill as many [as] possible.
“I have an overwhelming anger. I feel sometimes I will go out and kills them with stones. Then I say to myself it will be a waste, I have to do many.”
Farouk replied to him: “Knife is not a solution.
“I have to endeavour the biggest number possible. This is my intention God willing.”
Prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu KC asked the witness: “Was this part of your persona?”
Farouk said: “That’s correct.”
The undercover operative, who gave evidence screened from the defendants and the public gallery, added: “In this example I was mirroring what Walid had said to me previously.
“In order for me to work in this line of work you have to speak a certain way. If you don’t mirror in a certain way then he won’t tell me more about his intention.”
In another message shown to the jury, Saaoud said the Paris terror attacks were “the biggest operation after that of Osama” – said to be a reference to the 9/11 atrocity.
Saaoud went on: “Good, tight organisation. Good execution and above all the enabling of God almighty, may he be glorified.
“It was a great event, brother.”
Saadaoui, of Abram, Wigan, and Hussein, of no fixed address, denies preparing acts of terrorism between December 13 2023 and May 9 2024.
Walid Saadaoui’s brother Bilel Saadaoui, 36, of Hindley, Wigan, has pleaded not guilty to failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism in the same period.
The trial continues.
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