Birmingham man guilty of planning a terrorism attack

Jason Savage, 35, from Fourth Avenue, Small Heath, was convicted of crimes relating to terrorism following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday.

The jury heard how Savage - from March 2022 up until his arrest on March 2024 - had researched and planned activity to carry out an attack.

Savage had converted to Islam in 2010, following an extreme and violent interpretation of the Salafi movement. 

Prosecutors told the court that Savage had targeted a Salafi cleric associated with a mosque and bookstore in Small Health because the cleric was an outspoken critic of Islamist terrorism and extremism contrary to Savage's views. 

The jury was shown what was described as a reconnaissance video which had been made by Savage three days before his arrest, with the video showing him walking around the location of the mosque and the bookstore, discussing the points of entry and the routes that police would likely attend from.

Savage also downloaded and watched violent and extremist videos, and researched how to kill with a knife and how to make parts of a gun and ammunition. 

Savage had also carried out reconnaissance of military buildings and police stations as potential locations. 

Days before his arrest, Savage had changed his WhatsApp profile to 'Lone Wolf' indicating that he was planning on carrying out the attack on his own. 

On the day of his arrest on March 14, 2024, Savage's messaging and intentions increased, in a voice note to a friend, he exclaimed he would "see him in paradise".

Savage was unaware that the 'friend' he had shared the message with was actually an undercover police officer from the Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands. 

Savage was arrested a few hours later on a Birmingham street. 

Upon searching his address, a knife was recovered, which he had adapted by removing the handle and wrapping it in cloth. 

Head of Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands, Detective 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 about 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."

Savage is due to be sentenced on April 4.