The former owner of a Norfolk seaside restaurant sold up and used the cash from the sale to buy assault rifles for a terror attack, a court has heard.
Walid Saadaoui bought the Albatross restaurant near the Britannia Pier in Great Yarmouth in 2018. Five years later, he sold it and moved to Wigan, Greater Manchester, where he gave up work and started posting radical material online.
Preston Crown Court was told the 38-year-old then arranged to buy four AK-47 assault rifles, two handguns and 1,200 rounds of ammunition, as he was planning a gun attack on Jewish targets in Manchester.
But instead, he was arrested in the car park of a hotel in Bolton as he took delivery of some of the weapons – from an undercover police officer.
The court heard Saadaoui’s younger brother Bilel, 36, was already living in Preston where he led a Friday prayer circle, sent out ISIS material and made a video of himself working out, accompanied by an ISIS chant.
He is accused of failing to disclose information about plans for an attack.
Kelly Brocklehurst, prosecuting, told the court that towards the end of 2022, Walid Saadaoui began posting material on Facebook supporting ISIS, using a series of 10 different accounts.
Over the months that followed, he re-posted statements in Arabic with English translations such as: “We will fight until death, even if souls have perished and blood has been shed.”
On 14 June, 2023, Saadaoui posted: “Should you be martyred or die in the cause of Allah, then his forgiveness and mercy are far better than whatever wealth those who stay behind accumulated.”
He also began posting several pieces of advice on getting fit for jihad.
Ms Brocklehurst said that following his move to Wigan, Walid Saadaoui’s “focus was on planning his terrorist attacks”.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
Read more from Sky News:
IS supporter ‘hero-worshipped 2015 Paris attack mastermind’
‘Men planned untold harm with attack on Jewish community’
One day, she said, he had posted a picture of a Koran and an AK-47 assault rifle with the words: “A book that guides and a sword that delivers victory.”
‘Lone wolf’
He also posted an ISIS video showing scenes of military fighting called Flames of War, and on 7 July shared an article glorifying the establishment of the Islamic State and promising to kill those who opposed it.
Another piece of his content, the court heard, offered security advice to others planning to act as a “lone wolf”. It read: “To all of those who would like to act as a lone wolf and have some obstacles like cameras and worry about getting exposed, here are some tips.”
He added: “Tasks do not need to be limited to weapons, try to burn apostates’ properties.”
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
In a number of further posts, he advised other users to disguise their identity by using virtual private networks (VPNs) and disable location services on their phones.
As he prepared for his attack, the prosecution alleged Walid Saadaoui withdrew £70,000 from the bank in cash.
He is said to have conspired to arrange the purchase and delivery of firearms with Amar Hussein, 52, who lived and worked in an appliance store in Bolton,
Walid Saadaoui wrote online: “Anyone who doesn’t understand our entreaty, we will make them understand by weapons.”
However, his postings had drawn the attention of the security services, and on 13 December, he was approached online by an undercover officer.
Walid Saadaoui denies a charge of preparing acts of terrorism along with Amar Hussein, 52, who lived and worked at an appliance store in Bolton.
Bilel Saadaoui denies failing to disclose information about plans for an attack.
The trial continues.
