A man has been charged with a terrorism offence following an attempted breach of the Embassy of Israel in Kensington, West London, on the evening of Monday, April 28.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed today that Abdullah Sabah Albadri, 33, of no fixed abode, has been formally charged with preparation of terrorist acts under Section 5(1)(a) of the Terrorism Act 2006, along with two counts of possession of a bladed article, contrary to the Criminal Justice Act 1988.
He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later today.
Embassy Incident Prompted Rapid Police Response
The incident occurred shortly before 6:00pm on Monday, when officers from the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command observed a man attempting to gain unauthorised access to the Israeli Embassy grounds.
Police acted swiftly to prevent entry, arresting the man on suspicion of public order offences, trespassing on a designated site, and possession of an offensive weapon. Following further investigation, the man was arrested on suspicion of a terrorism offence and the case was transferred to the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.
Police Reassure Public and Embassy
Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Counter Terrorism Command, said:
“We remain in close contact with those based at the Embassy of Israel and appreciate that these charges will be concerning to them.I want to reassure the public that, from our enquiries so far, we are not seeking anyone else in connection with this incident, and there is no indication of a wider threat at this time.”
Investigation Ongoing
Despite charges being filed, police are continuing their investigation and have urged the public to avoid speculation.
