Date: October 5, 2026
Reporter: Emilly Jordan
A 34-year-old Kuwaiti man has been sentenced to life in prison after attempting to enter the Israeli Embassy in London armed with two knives in an attack that British authorities said was intended as an act of terrorism.
Abdullah Sabah Albadri was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Monday after being convicted of preparing an act of terrorism and possessing two bladed articles. The life sentence carries a minimum term of 20 years, with time already spent in custody taken into account.
The attempted attack occurred on April 28, 2025, at the Israeli Embassy in Kensington, west London. Albadri was stopped by armed officers from the Metropolitan Police's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command as he attempted to climb the security fence surrounding the diplomatic premises.
Police said two knives were found in his possession. Body-worn camera footage from the arrest showed Albadri telling officers that he had weapons and wanted to commit a crime inside the embassy.
The Metropolitan Police said the subsequent counter-terrorism investigation uncovered evidence indicating that Albadri had planned the attack. Detectives found a handwritten martyrdom note on him when he was arrested, while analysis of his phone showed that he had searched for the location of the Israeli Embassy in the days before the attempted attack.
Investigators also found searches relating to suicide and martyrdom among his online activity during the five days preceding his arrest. Police said the findings strengthened the case that the attack had been planned rather than being a spontaneous act.
Prosecutors told the court that Albadri wanted to attack the embassy in retaliation for Israel's military actions in Gaza. He had arrived in Britain from France by small boat on April 12, 2025, just 16 days before the attempted attack, according to the Metropolitan Police.
Albadri had previously entered Britain by small boat in 2021 and later made another journey in April 2025. During the 2026 trial, he denied preparing a terrorist attack. He said the knives were for practical purposes, including opening food cans and cutting wood because he was homeless, and denied intending to enter the embassy to carry out a violent attack.
A jury nevertheless convicted him of preparing an act of terrorism by a majority of 10 to one. He was unanimously convicted of two offences involving possession of bladed articles in a public place.
The court heard that Albadri had walked from Kilburn in northwest London toward the embassy on the day of the incident. CCTV footage showed him wearing sunglasses and a scarf wrapped around his head and mouth before he reached the diplomatic premises.
Once at the embassy, he climbed onto the security fence. Two armed diplomatic protection officers intervened almost immediately and pulled him down before he could breach the perimeter. The Metropolitan Police said no one was seriously injured during the incident.
Counter Terrorism Policing London commander Helen Flanagan praised the officers who confronted Albadri, saying their rapid response prevented him from entering the embassy and potentially carrying out the attack.
She said the lengthy sentence reflected the danger he posed and his lack of remorse following his arrest. Police also said the Israeli Embassy has faced a number of security alerts and that counter-terrorism officers continue to work with diplomatic officials and the Metropolitan Police to strengthen security around the building and surrounding community.
The case comes amid heightened security concerns around Israeli diplomatic facilities in Britain and elsewhere following the continuing conflict in Gaza and broader tensions in the Middle East.
British authorities have continued to emphasize that counter-terrorism investigations focus on evidence of preparation, intent and actions rather than political expression alone. In Albadri's case, the court's conviction was based on the evidence presented during his trial, including his movements, possession of knives, digital searches and material recovered at the time of his arrest.
The life sentence means Albadri will remain subject to a life licence, while the minimum 20-year term establishes the period he must serve before he can become eligible for consideration for release under the applicable rules.
British police said the swift intervention outside the Israeli Embassy prevented a potentially serious attack and ensured that no members of the public or diplomatic staff were seriously injured.