Abdullah Albadri, 34, was sentenced Monday by a London court to life in prison following his conviction in May for breaching the Israeli Embassy in London.

“A man has been found guilty of preparing terrorist acts,” the Metropolitan Police posted on X at the time. “Armed officers arrested him as he attempted to breach security at the Israeli Embassy in London, carrying two knives.”

The would-be terrorist, who had failed to seek asylum from Kuwait, tried to breach the embassy while armed with two knives and a “martyrdom note.” At his trial, prosecutors alleged that he was inspired by what he says is “the killing of children.”

Albadri claimed innocence, saying he had knives on him because he was homeless — apparently he expected the jury to believe his attempt to enter the Israeli Embassy was just a coincidence. But the evidence said otherwise, and the jury convicted him anyway.

The welcome verdict follows a spate of antisemitic attacks, including a stabbing in Golders Green in April that injured two people. Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI), a group with ties to Iran, has claimed responsibility for some of these attacks. The group had claimed to have sent a drone in April to drop dangerous chemical substances on the Israeli Embassy in London, but an investigation found nothing.

Albadri’s behavior was anything but innocent. He was arrested while trying to climb over the fence around the embassy, and he told police officers he wanted to send a message about the war, referring to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

“The prosecution says 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,” Prosecutor Catherine Pattison told jurors at the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales.

She added that he had arrived at England’s shores twice, on a small boat, attempting to seek asylum because he claimed his life was threatened due to his civil rights activism.

His second attempt to enter the country occurred in April 2025, and after he was denied his request for asylum, he started seeking out the whereabouts of the Israeli Embassy, which has repeatedly faced threats in recent years.