Elizabeth CookA man accused of a terror plot was “very happy” running an Italian restaurant in Norfolk before he moved to north-west England, where he allegedly planned to target a mass gathering of Jewish people, a court has heard.
Walid Saadaoui, 38, is said to have wanted to cause “untold harm” and kill as many people as he could in a gun atrocity.
The married father-of-two denies preparing acts of terrorism between December 2023 and May last year.
Mr Saadaoui told jurors how he came to the UK in 2012 with his first wife, Jane, who he met in his home country Tunisia, where he worked as a hotel entertainer.
He said he successfully applied for a work visa and the couple moved to Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, and he got a job at a Haven Holiday Village.
Mr Saadaoui said he saved up by working extra hours at the holiday park 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 finished 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.
GoogleMr 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 Mr Saadaoui.
The court heard that his family later moved to Abram, Wigan, in 2023.
Prosecutors say police were able to prevent the plans of Mr Saadaoui and co-defendant, Amar Hussain, 52, from becoming a tragic reality as they unknowingly laid bare their scheme to an undercover operative.
Mr Hussein, of no fixed address, also denies preparing acts of terrorism.
A third defendant, Saadaoui’s brother Bilel Saadaoui, 36, of Hindley, Wigan, has pleaded not guilty to failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism in the same period.
Walid Saadaoui will continue to give evidence later.