Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein were convicted of plotting an IS-inspired mass-casualty attack in Manchester following recent extremist shootings in Sydney and Manchester. The duo planned to use automatic weapons against Jewish and Christian communities in the UK, aiming to infiltrate a public march and target emergency responders. MI5 and police thwarted the conspiracy through an undercover operation after Saadaoui attempted to acquire firearms and 1,200 rounds of ammunition in May 2024.Saadaoui, who reportedly idolized the mastermind of the 2015 Paris attacks, collaborated with Hussein to maximize fatalities in what investigators called a potentially historic tragedy. Bilel Saadaoui was also found guilty of failing to disclose information regarding the plot, which was motivated by radical ideologies and the conflict in Israel. Sentencing for the individuals involved is scheduled for February 2026 as security officials warn of persistent online radicalization threats.