Muslim extremist convert plotted terror attacks in chilling video

Chilling video shows the moments when a Muslim convert filmed himself planning a terror attack on a book store and a mosque. 

In the clip above, Jason Savage, 35, can be heard carrying out reconnaissance on a book store and mosque he intended to "flatten." 

Savage, from Small Heath in Birmingham, referred to himself online as 'Lone Wolf' before being found guilty of plotting terror attacks on police buildings and military targets. 

He researched firearms and the "lethal use of knives" and planned to carry out attacks on police officers and soldiers.  

A court heard the 35-year-old also watched "barbaric" Islamic State videos. On the day of his arrest in March, Savage said in a voice note to a friend he would “see him in paradise” and believed the activity he was planning would result in him not surviving.

But unknown to him he had been revealing his plans to an undercover officer and was arrested before any atrocity could be carried out.

He denied preparation of terrorist acts and went on trial at Birmingham Crown Court. Peter Ratliff, prosecuting, had told the court how Savage converted to Islam some time during the 2010's.

He said the defendant had subscribed to an "extreme and violent" part of the Salafist movement within the Sunni branch of Islam. 

Mr Ratliff said: "The prosecution suggest the defendant subscribed to the extreme and violent interpretation of the Salafi movement of which the terrorist groups Al Qaeda and Islamic State are visceral examples."

He said not far from where Savage lived was a Salafi mosque and book store which were associated with a Muslim cleric whose approach to the Salafi movement was entirely at odds with that of the defendant. 

Mr Ratliff said as a result Savage had posted on Facebook that he would "break the backs" of the cleric and his followers. 

He added: "One of those he was in contact with was, unbeknownst to him, an online undercover officer – a law enforcement official who went by the name of Abdul – who was able to capture communications with the defendant – including multiple ‘voice notes’ the defendant sent and ‘Abdul’ was able to retain. 

"By February 2024 he was referring to watching knife fight techniques on YouTube. 

"He referred how the mosque on Wright Street needed ‘flattening’; how the Madkhalis were to be ‘hunted down’. On March 9 2024 the defendant changed his ‘status’ on WhatsApp to ‘Lone Wolf’."

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.”