Migrant's Alleged Knife Plot on Israeli Embassy Foiled by Police
A small boat migrant planned to carry out a knife terror attack on the Israeli embassy in London after his asylum claim was rejected, a court heard today. Abdullah Albadri, a 34-year-old Kuwait-born man, is accused of plotting the attack in Kensington on April 28 last year, allegedly in revenge for the killing of children in Gaza.
Details of the Alleged Attack
The Old Bailey was told that Albadri attempted to break into the Israeli embassy armed with two knives and a martyrdom note. He was stopped by armed police after leaping on an eight-foot fence surrounding the building. Prosecutors stated he was 'almost successful in his attempt', but diplomatic protection officers grabbed him before he could enter and 'use or threaten serious violence against the Israeli government, to exact revenge for its alleged murder of children'.
Catherine Pattison, prosecuting, said: 'The existence and contents of his suspected martyrdom note, along with his possession of two knives, and material downloaded from his mobile phone, demonstrate his intention to use violence against people inside the Israeli embassy and sacrifice his own life in the process - to die, in his words, 'for the glory of God'.'
Background and Asylum Claims
The court heard that Albadri, a homeless asylum seeker, had made multiple attempts to enter the UK. He arrived in Dover via a small boat in 2021 and applied for permission to remain, but failed to attend a Home Office interview in 2023. Jurors were informed he re-entered the UK on a small boat from France on April 12 last year, just days before the embassy attack.
Albadri was given temporary accommodation at a hotel in Basingstoke and applied for asylum, claiming he was a 'human rights activist' who had been arrested in Kuwait in 2011. On April 24, he told an associate that the Home Office had refused his asylum claim and he lacked funds for a train ticket to Liverpool to appeal.
Shift to Sinister Plans
Ms Pattison told jurors that the defendant's focus shifted from his asylum application to more 'sinister' plans. She said: 'You might want to consider why is it when things are not going too well with his asylum application, that Abdullah Albadri is searching for and looking at the location of the Israeli Embassy. The Israeli Embassy does not have anything to do with him, or his application.'
The court heard that Albadri allegedly searched in Arabic for weapons, including a Palestinian sniper, and messaged his mother saying he would be 'martyred in the way of Allah' shortly before the attack. Prosecutors noted his asylum application was refused on April 28, and he later donned sunglasses and a traditional shemagh headscarf before heading to the embassy, sending a message to his uncle to care for his mother.
Aftermath and Charges
After being detained, Albadri allegedly told police he had two knives and said: 'I wanna make a crime inside there, why are you stopping me? Why are you stopping me from making crimes?' He asked officers 'why didn't you let me in?', adding 'I didn't do what I wanted to do'.
Albadri, of no fixed address, denies preparation of terrorist acts and two counts of possession of a bladed article in a public place. The trial continues, with the case highlighting issues around asylum processes and security threats in London.
