14/05/24
Three in court over alleged plan to attack Jewish community
Three men have appeared in court charged with terrorism offences over an alleged plan for a gun attack targeting the Jewish community in the north-west of England.
Walid Saadaoui, 36, and Amar Hussein, 50, have been charged with the preparation of terrorist acts between 13 December 2023 and 9 May 2024.
Mr Saadaoui, of Crankwood Road in Abram, and Mr Hussein, of no fixed address, entered no plea when they appeared in custody at Westminster Magistrates Court.
Mr Saadaoui's 35-year-old brother Bilel, of Fairclough Street in Hindley, was tearful as he pleaded not guilty to failing to disclose information about the alleged plans.
The court heard Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein had intended to target "the Jewish community in the North West of England and members of both law enforcement and military".
The hearing was told the pair were accused of plotting an attack designed to cause "multiple fatalities using automatic weapons".
Prosecutor Rebecca Waller said the alleged plan had been inspired by the Islamic State group.
Each of the men appeared in the dock in separate hearings, wearing grey tracksuits and flanked by police and security officers.
Mr Hussein was assisted by an Arabic interpreter, but had no lawyer to represent him.
Asked by the judge whether he wanted to apply for bail, he said: "Do whatever you want."
The other two men spoke only to confirm their identities.
Angelo Saponiere, defending Bilel Saadaoui, said his client was a "family man" who had not known of the alleged plans.
District judge Louisa Ciecóra remanded all the men in custody and sent the case to be heard at the Old Bailey on 24 May.
The men were arrested on 8 May after Greater Manchester Police executed four warrants in Bolton and Wigan.
In a statement, Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said the details of the case would be "understandably distressing and likely to have a significant impact on the communities within the Greater Manchester and beyond".
"Everyone should feel safe in our region regardless of their religion or race," he said.
"We have been working closely with community groups and key stakeholders to address concerns and we’ll continue to update them throughout this case."
He added that "local officers across Greater Manchester" would continue to "listen and act on concerns".
“The action we have taken so far follows a long-running and carefully managed investigation, and we do not believe that there is a wider risk to the public connected to this case," he said.
"Should you have any concerns about your safety or any suspicious activity in your area, then I would encourage you to contact the police."
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