Muslim convert gets life over mosque terror plot

A Muslim convert who researched military locations and threatened to "flatten" a Birmingham mosque in a terror attack has been jailed for life.

Jason Savage, from Small Heath, Birmingham, was found guilty in January of engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts, having plotted to stab an Islamic cleric who was an outspoken critic of terrorism.

At Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, Judge Mrs Justice Farbey told Savage she was sure he had been actively planning a "lone wolf attack" inspired by the self-styled Islamic State (IS) group.

He was told he would serve a minimum term of 16 years.

IS, also known as Isis or Daesh in Arabic, became notorious for taking over huge swathes of Syria and Iraq and meting out cruel punishments and murders, then posting the videos online.

At his trial, jurors were shown footage of Savage filming a reconnaissance exercise near a mosque and Islamic bookstore on Wright Street, Small Heath, in March last year.

Savage can be seen recording himself saying of the scene: "That seems like the best way to get away - the police will probably come from that way."

As well as charting different routes into the mosque, Savage was heard to say: "Ask Allah to give man the means, bro."

The three-week trial was told Savage was arrested shortly after sending online messages about his ambitions to someone he believed to be sympathetic to his cause, whom he did not realise was an undercover police officer. He told them he was waiting to see what "opportunities come to present itself".

Jurors also heard Savage had taken screenshots of West Midlands Police headquarters, police stations in the Perry Barr and Stechford areas of Birmingham, and various military locations in the city, telling the undercover officer he was putting his neck on a "chopping block".

During the sentencing hearing, the judge said that while police and military locations were clearly targets, she was sure Savage's "primary focus" was the Birmingham-based cleric.

She said: "I am sure that you were ready and willing to carry out a deadly attack by using a knife."

Savage, who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood trauma, converted to Islam in 2012.

Prosecutors said he carried out reconnaissance with a view to attacking the cleric, bookstore and mosque over an approach to the Salafi movement that was "entirely at odds" with his own.

Salafists are Islamic fundamentalists who seek to adhere the example of the Prophet Muhammad and the first generations who followed him.

The mosque, store and publishing house advocated a strand of Salafism that stressed the importance of non-involvement in social or political activism, the court heard, while the cleric was an "outspoken critic" of Islamist terrorism, arguing that it was entirely incompatible with the true essence of the faith.

At some point in early 2024, the trial heard, Savage broke the handle off a kitchen knife and replaced it with cloth, before changing his social media status to "Lone Wolf".

Shortly before his arrest, Savage had messaged the undercover officer, referring to seeing him in "paradise" and telling him he would send videos over the "next couple of days" which he asked be "propagated" to reach the right people.

Judge Farbey said because Savage's offending took place over a number of days it "cannot be described as impulsive".

As he was led to the cells, Savage was heard to say "no problem".

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