A man has been convicted of planning a terrorist attack at the Embassy of Israel in London, following an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing London, authorities announced Friday.

Abdullah Sabah Albadri, 34, a homeless man, attempted to gain entry to the Israeli diplomatic mission in the Kensington neighborhood on April 28 of last year, armed with two knives. Armed officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command intervened swiftly, preventing Albadri from scaling the embassy gates before any harm could be done.

Body-worn camera footage from the arrest captured Albadri telling officers he had “weapons” and intended to “make a crime” inside the Embassy. Two knives with red-and-white handles were recovered from his pockets. He was also found carrying a martyrdom note stating his intention to die, in his words, “for the glory of God.”

Investigators determined that Albadri had planned the attack as an act of revenge against the Israeli government over its military operations in Gaza. In the five days preceding the attack, he had searched multiple Arabic terms relating to suicide and martyrdom online — a marked departure from his prior search history, which had centered on his attempts to secure asylum status. Albadri had entered the United Kingdom illegally on a small boat from France on April 12, 2025.

CCTV footage recovered by investigators showed Albadri walking the entire distance from Kilburn in northwest London to the embassy in Kensington on the day of the attack, wearing a red-and-white scarf wrapped around his head and mouth and sunglasses.

Following a two-week trial at the Old Bailey, Albadri was convicted of one count of preparation of terrorist acts under the Terrorism Act 2006, and two counts of possession of a bladed article. Sentencing is scheduled for a later date.

Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, praised the responding officers, noting that their rapid intervention prevented what could have been a deadly incident. “Those officers responded within seconds,” she said, adding that the subsequent investigation secured the evidence needed for the conviction.

Commander Flanagan also acknowledged that the embassy has faced multiple security alerts in recent times, and said Counter Terrorism Policing continues to work closely with the Embassy and Metropolitan Police colleagues to review and strengthen protective security arrangements.