Kuwait-born Abdullah Albadri, 34, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 20 years for attempting to break into the Israeli embassy in London to carry out a knife attack. Jurors found Albadri guilty of preparation of terrorist acts and possession of two bladed articles.
Albadri, who was described as appearing emotionless in court, attempted to scale the embassy fence in Kensington, West London, armed with two four-inch knives. The court heard he intended to 'exact revenge' for the deaths of children in Gaza. He was tackled and apprehended by armed police seconds after climbing the fence.
Evidence presented in court showed Albadri walking towards the embassy on April 28 last year, with his face covered and wearing a distinctive headscarf. CCTV captured him making a gesture before attempting to scale the 8-foot fence. Officers described the struggle to pull him down, noting he held on "quite strongly."
Following his arrest, Albadri indicated to officers that he had "got my weapons." The seized knives, along with papers including what was described as a 'martyrdom note,' were presented as evidence. Body-worn camera footage showed Albadri asking officers, "I wanna make a crime inside there, why are you stopping me?" He also stated, "They need to stop this f****** war on children."
Albadri, born into the stateless Arabian Bedoon tribe, claimed he was seeking asylum after facing persecution for human rights activism in Kuwait. He had twice entered the UK in small boats in 2021 and April 2025. His asylum claim was rejected, and he was informed he would lose state support, leading to a period of homelessness and desperation.
During his trial, Albadri denied preparing to commit terrorism, asserting the knives were for personal use and that his statements were sarcastic. He claimed the 'martyrdom note' was an overly dramatic letter to his mother and that he never intended to harm anyone, stating, "How are we going to stop killing by killing?"
His defense argued that Albadri was in a "state of total despair" and had sought help after his asylum claim was rejected. The prosecution countered that his actions and words indicated a clear intent to commit an act of terrorism.
The Israeli embassy issued a statement welcoming the verdict and thanking UK security authorities for their protection. "The State of Israel will not be deterred by acts of terror or intimidation," a spokesperson said. "We will continue to carry out our diplomatic mission from London and across all our missions worldwide with determination and resolve."