By Andrew Kariuki
A man who attempted to climb into the Israeli Embassy in London while armed with two knives has been found guilty of preparing a terror-related attack.
Abdullah Albadri, 34, was convicted at the Old Bailey after a jury deliberated for nearly 14 hours, finding him guilty of preparation of terrorist acts and possession of bladed articles.
The court heard that Albadri had arrived in the United Kingdom just 16 days before the incident, having crossed from France by small boat. It was his second illegal entry into the country within four years.
On April 28, 2025, he was arrested while attempting to scale the heavily guarded embassy’s perimeter fence in Kensington. Armed diplomatic protection officers intervened and detained him before he could gain access.
During the arrest, Albadri reportedly questioned officers, asking why they were stopping him from committing a crime.
Evidence presented in court showed that on the morning of the attempted attack, he sent a message to his mother stating, “I chose the path of martyrdom,” alongside an image of a handwritten note and a knife.
Investigators told the court that Albadri had carried out online searches related to the embassy and phrases linked to martyrdom in the days leading up to the incident.
Following his arrest, he told officers he wanted to “do something to stop the war,” referencing the conflict in Gaza.
The trial also heard that Albadri had a background as a stateless member of the Bedoon community and had previously been imprisoned in Kuwait. After arriving in the UK earlier in April 2025, he had been left without accommodation and was sleeping rough in London.
On the day of the incident, he walked from north-west London to the embassy, where he attempted to climb over the fence before being overpowered by officers.
Police recovered two knives with 10-centimetre blades and the handwritten note referencing martyrdom.
The case also raised questions during trial about whether Albadri may have been seeking to provoke a fatal response from armed officers.
He is expected to be sentenced at a later date.
