Two Islamic State fanatics who plotted to carry out Britain’s ‘worst terror attack’ are understood to be in a prison where they can take part in painting classes.
Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, were last week convicted of planning a gun attack on Jewish targets.
They sought to buy a stash of firearms and over 900 rounds of ammunition.
Fuelled by a twisted desire to exact revenge for Israel‘s military response to the Hamas atrocity on Britain’s streets, the extremists planned to gun down participants at a march against anti-Semitism in Manchester.
Tunisian-born Saadaoui – who once ran an Italian restaurant in Great Yarmouth – and Hussein – who claimed to be a former Iraqi soldier and told police he was ‘proud’ to be a terrorist – then planned to target schools and synagogues in the city’s Jewish community.
They are yet to be sentenced, but The Sun reports Saadaoui and Hussein are currently being held at category B HMP Preston, rather than a high-security prison, where they can freely mix with the overcrowded population.
The newspaper says inmates at the Victorian prison can have DVDs and books delivered to their cells, which have Freeview televisions. There are also three gyms.
Prisoners are also able to sign up for courses provided by Manchester College, including English, maths, IT, graphic design, digital imaging, media/radio production, painting and decorating and art.
Plotters Walid Saadaoui, 38, left, and Amar Hussein planned to slaughter British Jews in a twisted revenge for Israel’s military response to the October 7 attacks
Amar Hussein (left) and Walid Saadaoui (right) have been found guilty of planning an Islamic State-inspired gun attack on Jewish targets in the Manchester area
According to the prison’s most recent inspection report in March 2023, Partners of Prisoners, an organisation supporting families of prisoners, organised ‘popular’ themed family days.
One included a sports day with an egg and spoon race, face painting and picnics.
The report read: ‘However, too few were being delivered. They were only available to 15 prisoners every two months and were always over-subscribed, which meant many missed out.’
A source told The Sun it was ‘outrageous they are together in a cushy medium-security prison like Preston rather than a tough, high-security one’.
‘When you look at the contrast between how dangerous their plot was and what comfortable conditions they are being held in, it makes you sick,’ they said.
‘It shows what a state the prison system is in.’
According to the Howard League for Penal Reform, overcrowding at HMP Preston is currently at 157%.
The Ministry of Justice told the Daily Mail it would not comment on prisoner locations.
Prisoners are categorised based on a risk assessment carried out by multiple agencies and are often reassessed after sentencing.
Saadaoui and Hussein are due to be sentenced on February 13.
The plot was a chilling echo of the Bondi Beach attack in Australia on December 14 in which 15 innocent people were killed.
A photo issued by Greater Manchester Police of weapons seized during the arrest of Saadaoui
A BB gun seized from the property of Saadaoui after his arrest
Bilel Saadaoui and his stepson holding swords. Saadaoui’s brother Bilel was found guilty of failing to disclose information about the plan
A video compiled by Bilel Saadaoui of himself in the gym
A knife found in the car belonging to Hussein following his arrest
But it was foiled by an ‘exceptionally brave’ undercover operative (UCO) sent to infiltrate the terror cell.
‘Farouk’ was in contact with the jihadists for over six months – and duped them into believing a cache of assault rifles, handguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition was being transported to the UK via a cross-Channel ferry.
Unbeknown to the plotters, the apparently deadly arsenal consisted of deactivated weapons.
Following the verdicts, Jewish community leaders said the plot was a stark reminder of the lethal consequences of rising anti-Israeli rhetoric – and chilling proof that a Bondi-style attack could happen here.
Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Robert Potts said: ‘What Walid Saadaoui was trying to achieve was a terrorist attack on the Jewish community that given the weaponry and ammunition involved could potentially have been the deadliest terrorist attack in UK history.’
Saadaoui said he wanted to kill as many Jews ‘as possible’ in the attack, planned for the summer of 2024 – with the deaths of any Christians ‘a bonus’.
In one chilling conversation with ‘Farouk’, he said he wanted to ‘kill as many as possible’, saying he had an ‘overwhelming urge’.
He was also recorded saying that if Muslims ‘all over the world’ attacked ‘the Jewish people, honestly they wouldn’t do what they do in Gaza now’.