Man Jailed for Life for Preparing Terror Attack
Man Jailed for Life for Preparing Terror Attack
A Birmingham man has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years for planning a terror attack in the city.
Jason Savage, 35, of Fourth Avenue, Small Heath, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday after being convicted in January of engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts, contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.
Savage, a Muslim convert, had embraced an extreme and violent form of Salafist ideology and had long expressed admiration for Islamic State (IS).
The court was told Savage believed Sharia law should be imposed in the UK through force, and viewed mainstream clerics who rejected violence as traitors to Islam.
He had watched videos of beheadings, celebrated prison stabbings carried out on guards by Islamist inmates, and had previously been caught with a knife while in prison.
He also conducted online research into attacks on high-profile targets.
The court heard that Savage had drawn up a list of potential targets including the Israeli embassy, military facilities, and police stations in Birmingham.
He ultimately decided such attacks would be too difficult to carry out.
Instead, he turned his attention to a local Salafi cleric who had publicly denounced terrorism and warned against the use of violence in the name of Islam.
Savage considered the cleric’s views “entirely at odds” with his own, the court was told.
He carried out reconnaissance of a mosque and bookstore associated with the cleric, recording a video in which he discussed possible routes of entry and escape, and anticipated how the police might respond.
In messages sent to an individual he believed to be a supporter — but who was in fact an undercover officer — Savage suggested he was preparing for a “lone wolf” attack and said he would “see [them] in paradise”.
He also indicated he was considering a wider knife attack at the annual Eid gathering in Small Heath Park, where he believed he could target multiple clerics from different mosques in one location.
He told the officer that he had accessed ISIS propaganda, studied techniques for stabbing individuals to death, and had taken extensive photographs of knives.
Police later recovered a kitchen knife he had adapted by removing its handle and wrapping it in cloth.
Savage was arrested on 14 March 2024, hours after sending one of the messages. He was charged a week later.
During sentencing, Mrs Justice Farbey said she was satisfied Savage had been “ready and willing to carry out a deadly attack with a knife,” and had deliberately identified a religious leader as his main target.
She said that while police and military locations were among the targets Savage had considered, “his primary focus” had become the Birmingham-based cleric.
The court also heard that Savage had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)linked to childhood trauma.
He converted to Islam around 2012, believing the jihadi path was the true path, and prosecutors said his views became increasingly extreme and violent in the years that followed.
Detective Chief Superintendent Alison Hurst, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing in the West Midlands, said the arrest was conducted in public due to an urgent concern for public safety.
“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,” she said.
Police urged the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious behaviour to counter-terrorism authorities.
ACCESS TO THE LAW: Understanding the Crime and Sentencing
As part of our campaign to improve citizens’ access and understanding of UK Criminal law, we will be explaining the relevant UK legislation surrounding any case law relevant to our articles:
Access to the Law: Preparing for Acts of Terrorism – How Sentencing Works
Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 makes it a criminal offence to engage in any conduct in preparation for terrorism. It covers a wide range of actions — from writing attack plans or researching targets, to acquiring weapons or seeking out support — even if no specific date or location has been chosen and no attack actually happens.
In Jason Savage’s case, the court found that he had:
• Researched knife attacks and watched ISIS propaganda videos
• Carried out reconnaissance on real-world targets
• Adapted a weapon for use
• Expressed intent to kill specific individuals in private messages
The judge noted that he had gone far beyond mere fantasy or ideology. He was actively preparing for a “lone wolf” attack, had made logistical plans, and had a clear target in mind.
Sentencing under Section 5 depends on the level of planning and the intended harm. The maximum sentence is life imprisonment. Where the threat is deemed serious and imminent — as it was in Savage’s case — judges can impose a life term with a minimum term (the earliest point the offender can apply for release).
In this case, Savage received a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years — reflecting the fact that the court believed he posed an ongoing danger to the public.
