A man who attempted to carry out a knife attack at the Israeli embassy in west London has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years. Abdullah Albadri, 34, a Kuwait-born failed asylum seeker, tried to enter the embassy grounds in Kensington armed with two four-inch knives in April of last year.

Albadri, who belongs to the stateless Arabian Bedoon tribe, was intercepted by armed police after climbing the embassy's security fence. At trial, he stated that his motive was to “exact revenge” for the killing of children in Gaza. He denied preparing to commit an act of terrorism. The court heard that Albadri had entered the UK in 2021 and 2025 but was refused asylum on both occasions.

During the proceedings, Albadri claimed he had been imprisoned and mistreated in Kuwait due to his human rights activism. The presiding judge, Mrs Justice Lambert KC, imposed the sentence in recognition of the threat posed and Albadri’s lack of remorse following his arrest.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, praised the swift intervention of officers on duty who prevented Albadri from penetrating the embassy’s security perimeter. She noted that the embassy had been subject to multiple security alerts in recent times.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about threats to diplomatic missions and the challenges faced by authorities in addressing security risks tied to global conflicts and political grievances.