Man Arrested Outside Israeli Embassy Describes Perilous Boat Journeys to UK

Defense Claims Knives Were for Personal Safety, Not Terrorist Intent

A 34-year-old man apprehended attempting to breach the Israeli embassy in London, armed with two knives, recounted his dangerous journey to the UK as a matter of survival, according to a jury report. Abdullah Albadri, hailing from Kuwait, made two crossings into Britain via small vessels from France—first in August 2021, and again in April 2025, just before his arrest—at the Old Bailey courtroom. His defense team is set to argue that the knives were not linked to his actions that day and that he had no terrorist motives.

Early Life and Struggles in Kuwait

Albadri, born into the stateless Arabian Bedoon community on the Iraq-Kuwait border, described his childhood without access to human rights or a passport. His father, a police officer, funded his education until the age of 18, after which he became a human rights advocate. However, he faced significant barriers to further academic pursuits. He shared with the court that he was “brutally arrested” for distributing flyers, spending five years in prison where he slept on the floor and endured “a lot of beatings.”

“You put your life on the line. Everybody is scared, shouting, fighting. The life jackets is just for a few people, my life jacket I gave to a child.”

Life in France and Return to UK

After his release, Albadri relocated to France, where he secured residency and worked as a driver in Lyon. He learned the language, paid taxes, and felt a sense of stability. Yet, he was denied citizenship. Seeking opportunity, he planned another journey to the UK, paying £1,200 to armed smugglers for a boat ride with 63 others. One smuggler carried a pistol, and migrants were loaded onto the vessel in a line, he claimed.

Upon arrival in the UK, he stayed temporarily at an asylum seekers’ hotel in Basingstoke but was eventually forced to leave. He then traveled to London by train, sleeping outside a Home Office building and a park. Albadri sought support from a migrant charity and a mosque while attempting to find employment. The trial was postponed until Wednesday.