London Jury Convicts Man Who Tried to Climb Into Israeli Embassy With Two Knives

A jury at the Old Bailey convicted Abdullah Albadri, 34, on 1 May 2026 of preparing a terrorist act after he attempted to scale the gates of the Israeli embassy in Kensington, London, armed with two knives on 28 April 2025. Armed diplomatic protection officers stopped him within seconds. Investigators say he carried a martyrdom note and had sent a message to his mother that morning declaring he had chosen "the path of martyrdom."

The Details

Counter Terrorism Policing said officers on duty pulled Albadri from the embassy fence almost immediately after he began climbing, preventing him from breaching the security perimeter. Body-worn video captured him telling officers: "I want to make a crime inside there. Why are you stopping me? Why are you stopping me from making crimes?" according to the BBC and the Metropolitan Police.

Two red-and-white handled knives were recovered from Albadri at the scene, the Metropolitan Police said. Investigators also found a martyrdom note and messages he had sent to his mother on the morning of the attack. Phone records showed he had searched for information related to the Israeli embassy, suicide, and martyrdom in the days before 28 April 2025, according to the BBC.

Prosecutors told the court that Albadri was motivated by Israel's war in Gaza and sought revenge against the Israeli government. After his arrest, he told officers he wanted to do something to stop the war on children, according to the BBC and the Evening Standard.

Albadri denied intending to harm anyone during the trial. Jurors rejected that account after roughly 14 hours of deliberation and returned a majority verdict, according to the BBC and the Evening Standard.

The BBC also reported that prosecutors recovered a draft email and other evidence showing Albadri was simultaneously seeking asylum help while researching the Israeli embassy and martyrdom-related material.

Albadri had entered the United Kingdom by small boat from France on 12 April 2025, according to the BBC — 16 days before the attempted attack. The BBC reported he had previously entered the UK by the same route in 2021 and had become homeless in the days immediately before the incident when his asylum accommodation ended.

Context

The Metropolitan Police said the Israeli embassy in London has faced multiple security alerts during the Gaza war and that Counter Terrorism Policing has been under heightened pressure around the site. Commander Helen Flanagan of Counter Terrorism Policing London said in a statement after the verdict: "Albadri wanted to carry out a terrorist attack at the Embassy, but thanks to the courageous and swift actions of officers on duty, they prevented him from breaching the security perimeter and stopped what could have been a deadly incident."

The case was prosecuted under terrorism legislation, with Albadri convicted of both preparing terrorist acts and possessing bladed articles. The jury's majority verdict came after approximately 14 hours of deliberation, according to the BBC and the Evening Standard.

What's Next

Albadri faces sentencing following the conviction, though no sentencing date was specified in information released by the Metropolitan Police or the BBC at the time of the verdict. Counter Terrorism Policing has said the investigation is complete.