Jewish attack plot accused 'praised Paris attacks'

Court artist drawing of Walid Saadaoui (left), Bilel Saadaoui (centre) and Amar Hussein (right)

A man accused of planning a gun attack on a mass gathering of Jews described the killing of 130 people and wounding of hundreds more in Paris in 2015 as a "great event", a jury has heard.

Walid Saadaoui, 38, is said to have "hero-worshipped" Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who orchestrated the November 2015 raids - including one on the Bataclan theatre - and allegedly aspired to emulate him.

Prosecutors claim Mr Saadaoui unwittingly revealed plans to an undercover operative called Farouk. He told jurors at Preston Crown Court he believed Mr Saadoui had told him on Facebook he needed to conduct a Paris-style attack in north-western England.

Mr Saadaoui, of Abram in Wigan, denies preparing acts of terrorism.

'Undercover operative'

Amar Hussein, 52 and of no fixed address, denies the same.

Mr Saadaoui's 36-year-old brother Bilel Saadaoui, of Hindley in Wigan, has pleaded not guilty to failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism during the same period, between 13 December 2023 and 9 May 2024.

The court heard that Walid Saadaoui's Facebook account was named Liya Ernia with a profile picture of Abaaoud.

Undercover operative Farouk said he took on the "persona" of a supporter of the so-called Islamic State group in Arabic messages that followed with Walid Saadaoui.

In one message, the accused allegedly 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."

The trial at Preston Crown Court is expected to last 12 weeks

Walid Saadaoui is also later said to have written: "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 [kill] 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 Farouk: "Was this part of your persona?"

He replied: "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."

Police conducted raids in Wigan as part of their investigation

In another message shown to the jury, Walid Saadaoui said the Paris terror attacks were "the biggest operation after that of Osama" - said to be a reference to the 9/11 attacks in the United States.

Walid Saadaoui 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."

He was arrested in May 2024 with two assault rifles, a semi-automatic pistol and almost 200 rounds of ammunition found in his car boot.

The trial of the three men continues.