Abdullah Albadri, also referred to as Abdullah Sabah Albadri, attempted to break into or scale the fence of the Israeli embassy in London armed with two knives and a martyrdom note on April 28, 2025. He was stopped and arrested by armed police, specifically diplomatic protection officers, while trying to climb the embassy fence. The incident has sparked a high-profile terrorism case currently unfolding in British courts.
Prosecutor Catherine Pattison stated that Albadri's martyrdom note, knives, and phone material demonstrated his intention to use violence against people inside the Israeli embassy and sacrifice his own life. According to major media reports, Albadri started researching the location of the Israeli Embassy on April 24, 2025, and searched in Arabic for weapons including a Palestinian sniper. He also messaged his mother a picture of a handwritten martyrdom note next to a knife shortly before the attack, indicating he was going to be 'martyred in the way of Allah.' This evidence forms the core of the prosecution's argument that he planned a violent act.
I want to send a message to stop the killing of children and stop the war.
Albadri arrived in the UK via a small boat from France, first in August 2021 and again in April 2025 shortly before the embassy incident. He applied for asylum in the UK, claiming to be a 'human rights activist' arrested in Kuwait in 2011, but his claim was rejected. After his asylum claim was rejected, he was homeless and lived in temporary accommodation at a hotel in Basingstoke. His background as an asylum seeker has become a point of context in the case.
Albadri's defence case is likely to be that he was not trying to enter the embassy for a terrorist purpose and that he was carrying the knives 'for a good reason' unrelated to his activities that day, according to defence sources. This counter-narrative suggests a potential argument that his actions were misinterpreted or had alternative motivations.
I got my weapons.
According to major media reports, Albadri walked from Kilburn in north-west London to the Israeli embassy on Kensington Palace Gardens on April 28, 2025, wearing a red-and-white traditional Palestinian scarf and sunglasses. Officers first became aware of Albadri when he knocked on the window of a Kuwaiti embassy car, as reported by major media. PC Libby Chessor told the jury that Albadri made a hand gesture 'like a salute' just before he jumped onto the railing.
Albadri has been charged with preparation of terrorist acts and two counts of possession of a pointed or bladed article, according to research from two sources. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court, wearing a black sweatshirt and grey trousers, and was remanded in custody ahead of his next appearance on May 7, based on research from two sources.
I wanna make a crime inside there. Why are you stopping me? Why are you stopping me from making crimes? and then do what you want to do.
The Israeli embassy said there was an attempted terror attack from an armed man with a knife. The embassy thanked British security forces for their immediate response and confirmed all staff and visitors were safe. Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said they remain in close contact with the Embassy of Israel and do not believe there is any wider threat to the public.
Albadri told police he wanted to send a message to stop the killing of children and stop the war, motivated by the Gaza conflict. According to Daily Mail - News, Abdullah Albadri described wanting to send a message to stop the killing of children and stop the war. According to BBC News - UK, Abdullah Albadri described getting his weapons, wanting to make a crime inside there, and questioning why police were stopping him, while also stating they need to stop the war on children.
They need to stop the war on children.
Key unknowns persist in the case, including what specific evidence, beyond the martyrdom note and knives, supports the prosecution's claim that Albadri intended to use violence against people inside the embassy. Additionally, the exact contents of the martyrdom note sent to Albadri's mother, and how it relates to his alleged motives, have not been fully disclosed. The defence has not yet presented its full arguments, leaving uncertainties about how they will counter the prosecution's narrative.
The trial status remains in early stages, with Albadri remanded in custody and proceedings ongoing. Contradictions exist in reporting: some sources state Abdullah Albadri is 34 years old, while others say he is 33 years old. Similarly, the height of the Israeli embassy fence is reported as eight feet high in some accounts and 2.3 meters (approximately 7.5 feet) high in others. The current status of the trial, including when defence arguments will be presented or a verdict reached, is not yet publicly detailed. The next court appearance is scheduled for May 7, but further trial dates and the timeline for a potential verdict remain unclear.