Terrorist discussed targeting event where TV star was guest

TERRORIST

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Walid Saadaoui discussed targeting a Jewish event where Countdown star Rachel Riley was to be a guest speaker.But the planned mass murder of Jewish people across Manchester in the summer of 2024 was thwarted thanks to the work of an undercover operative.

Rachel Riley, 39, is best known for her role as a presenter on Channel 4's Countdown show. However, she has also been a vocal campaigner against antisemitism.

Walid Saadaoui was unaware that his plans to attack Jewish people - including a discussions about attacking an event where Ms Riley was to be a guest speaker were being secretly recorded by an undercover agent, named only Farouk in a long-running trial at Preston Crown Court which ended with the convictions of Saadaoui and his co-defendant Amar Hussein for terror offences.

The jury heard that as Islamic State fanatic Walid Saadaoui was taking the undercover operative Farouk on a tour of potential targets in north Manchester on March 17, 2024, he spoke about an event scheduled to take place a few weeks later where Ms Riley was to be the guest speaker.