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Man found guilty of planning terrorist attack

A man from Birmingham has been found guilty of planning a terrorist attack against a mosque and a bookshop.

Jason Savage was convicted after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

The court heard that between March 2022 and his arrest in March 2024, Savage had researched and planned activity to carry out an attack.

The 35-year-old converted to Islam in the 2010s and followed and extreme and violent interpretation of the Salafi movement. In court, the jury heard that Savage had targeted a Salafi cleric associated with a mosque and bookstore in Small Heath because the cleric was an outspoken critic of Islamist terrorism and extremism - which was contrary to Savage's views.

The court watched a reconnaissance video made by Savage three days before his arrest, during which he walked around the location of the mosque and bookstore and discussed points of entry, the routes police would enter from, and escape routes.

He had also downloaded and watched violent and extremist videos, researched how to kill with a knife and how to make parts of a gun and ammunition as well as carrying out the reconnaissance of military buildings and police stations as potential locations for an attack.

In the days before his arrest, Savage also changed his WhatsApp profile to 'Lone Wolf' and on the day of his arrest, 14 March 2024, he sent a voice note to a friend, saying he would "see him in paradise".

The 'friend' was actually an undercover police officer from Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands and Savage was arrested a few hours later.

A knife was found at his address, which has been adapted by removing the handle and wrapping with cloth.

Savage was charged on 21 March with Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism.

He is due to be sentenced on 4 April.

Head of Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands, Detective Chief Superintendent Alison Hurst said: “Many arrests that are carried out for terrorism suspects are pre-planned however the arrest of Savage was one conducted in a street during an evening as we had become increasingly concerned around his behaviour.

“Thanks to these quick actions to protect the public, there is no doubt that we stopped a dangerous individual carrying out an attack that would have caused injuries and potentially also fatalities.”

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