Small boat migrant 'tried to break into London's Israeli embassy as revenge for deaths in Gaza'

A man who twice entered the UK by small boat tried to break into the Israeli embassy in London with two knives to "exact revenge" for the killing of children in Gaza, a court heard.

Kuwait-born Abdullah Albadri is accused of planning a terror attack when he took weapons to the consulate while wearing a red and white scarf wrapped around his head and face.

The 34-year-old is said to have climbed an 8ft (2.4m) fence in a bid to enter the embassy grounds in Palace Green, Kensington, west London, on 28 April last year.

A trial at the Old Bailey on Wednesday heard that Albadri was "almost successful in his attempt to scale the fence", but armed diplomatic protection officers reached up and grabbed him.

Prosecutor Catherine Pattison told the court Albadri later told police "that he wanted to send a message, to stop the killing of children, to stop the war".

This was said to be a reference to the Israeli war in Gaza, the prosecutor told the court.

Jurors heard police officers seized several pieces of paper, including one which "read as a martyrdom note".

Albadri denied in a prepared statement to police that he was preparing to commit an act of terrorism. He said the knives were intended for "personal use" as he was homeless.

"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," Ms Pattison 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'."

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The court heard that hours before the alleged attempt to break into the embassy, Albadri sent his mother a picture of a handwritten note, which had the line: "I will not go back on my decision to go in the cause of Allah, to come out for His sake and to stand up to the enemies in order to support the religion of Allah Almighty."

Ms Pattison added: "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."

Albadri first entered the UK in August 2021, arriving at Dover in a small boat from France, the court heard.

He applied for permission to remain in Britain but did not attend an interview with the Home Office.

The defendant then left the country but returned on a small boat from France in April 2025 and tried to begin the process of applying for permission to stay in the UK, the court heard.

But his application for asylum was later rejected, Ms Pattison said.

Albadri denies preparation of terrorist acts and possession of two bladed articles.

The trial continues.

(c) Sky News 2026: Small boat migrant 'tried to break into London's Israeli embassy as revenge for deaths in Gaza'