Restaurant owner accused of plotting mass shooting of Jewish gathering

A restaurant owner is accused of planning to shoot a mass gathering of Jews before being stopped by undercover police, a court has heard.

Walid Saadaoui, 38, is alleged to have wanted to cause ’untold harm’ and kill as many Jewish people as possible in a gun attack.

The married father of two denies preparing acts of terrorism between December 2023 and May last year.

Testifying on Tuesday at Preston Crown Court, the Tunisian national told jurors how he came to the UK in 2012 with his first wife, Jane, who he met in his home country, where he worked as a hotel entertainer organizing dance shows, quiz contests, and water aerobics.

Walid Saadaoui is on trial at Preston Crown Court for a Daesh-inspired gun plot targeting the Jewish community in the North West of England

Amar Hussein (blue hat) and Walid Saadaoui with undercover operative Farouk (blurred) overlooking the port of Dover on a trip

He said he successfully applied for a work visa and the couple moved to Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, and he gained employment at a Haven Holiday Village.

Saadaoui said he saved money by working extra hours at the holiday park where he worked in shops, the bakery, and the arcade before he purchased the Albatross restaurant in Regent Road, Great Yarmouth, in 2018 with the assistance of a bank loan.

He told the jury he trained as a chef and said: ’I wanted to progress in life. I wanted to be my own boss.’

His marriage had already ended earlier that year, he said, and he later met his second wife, Michelle, who was already working at the restaurant, and they went on to have two children.

Walid Saadaoui was seen getting into Farouk’s car for a trip to Dover

Saadaoui said the Albatross had been established for 17 years by the previous owner.

His barrister, Felicity Gerry KC, asked: ’Would you describe it as a very successful business?’

The defendant said: ’Yes. We had a good customer base. We were hosting wedding ceremonies, birthday parties.’

Ms. Gerry said: ’You were happy?’

’Very,’ said Saadaoui.

The court has heard that his family later moved to Abram, Wigan, in 2023.