A migrant who arrived illegally in Britain by small boat tried to break into London’s Israeli embassy armed with two knives to “exact revenge” for the killing of children in Gaza, a trial has heard.
Kuwait-born Abdullah Albadri, 34, is accused of planning a terrorist attack in Palace Green, Kensington, on April 28 last year, the Old Bailey heard on Wednesday.
Catherine Pattison, prosecuting, said Mr Albadri, armed with two knives and with a red-and-white scarf wrapped around his head and face, jumped on to an 8ft high fence and tried to enter the embassy grounds.
Ms Pattison said Mr Albadri was “almost successful in his attempt to scale the fence”, and that had it not been for the armed diplomatic protection officers there grabbing him, he would have been.
He later told police “that he wanted to send a message, to stop the killing of children, to stop the war”, which prosecutors said was a reference to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the court heard.
Jurors were told that police officers seized several pieces of paper, including one which “read as a martyrdom note”.
Mr Albadri denied in a prepared statement to police that he was preparing to commit an act of terrorism and said the knives were intended for “personal use” as he was homeless.
Ms Pattison said: “The prosecution say that Mr Albadri’s intention was to use or threaten serious violence against the Israeli government, to exact revenge for its alleged murder of children.
“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’.
“Thus, say the prosecution, this was an act of terrorism intended by him.
“His intended threat or use of serious violence was designed to influence the Israeli government, for the purpose of advancing a religious, political or ideological cause.”
The court heard that Mr Albadri first entered the UK in August 2021, arriving at Dover in a small boat from France.
He applied for permission to stay in the country but did not attend an interview with the Home Office.
The defendant had left the country, but returned on a small boat from France in April 2025.
Mr Albadri denies preparation of terrorist acts and possession of two bladed articles. The trial continues.
