Four Palestine Action Activists May Be Sentenced as Terrorists in Unprecedented UK Case

Four Palestine Action members—Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio and Fatema Rajwani—were convicted of criminal damage after breaking into Elbit Systems UK plant near Bristol in August 2024. Judge Jeremy Johnson indicated that, although the jury considered only the damage offence, the defendants may be sentenced under the Terrorism Act 2000’s “terrorist connection” provision.

Palestine Action Activists to Be Sentenced As Terrorists in Move Kept Secret From Jury and Public

• Aug 2024 – Activists breach Elbit UK site, damaging drones.

Palestine Action Activists to Be Sentenced As Terrorists in Move Kept Secret From Jury and Public

• Mar 2025 – Judge found a terrorist connection, without informing the jury.

The Guardian

• May 12 2026 – Reporting restrictions lifted, revealing the judge’s order.

Palestine Action Activists to Be Sentenced As Terrorists in Move Kept Secret From Jury and Public

The court will assess the “terrorist connection” against the criminal standard of proof. Judge Johnson noted that influencing Israeli government could be a motive, even if the defence argued the aim was to save lives. MP Zarah Sultana used parliamentary privilege to reveal the judge’s order barring the defence from mentioning Elbit or Gaza. Under section 69 of Sentencing Act 2020, a terrorist designation carries a full prison sentence and a lifetime reporting requirement, unlike the 40 % term for non-terrorist offences.

The Guardian

Defend Our Juries called the process a “dangerous precedent” that allows activists to be sentenced as terrorists without a terror conviction. Co-founder Huda Ammori described the concealed sentencing direction as a “manipulated court process” and urged mobilisation, arguing defence restrictions undermined the jury’s ability to consider activists’ motivations.

Palestine Action Activists to Be Sentenced As Terrorists in Move Kept Secret From Jury and Public

• “The public will be astonished to learn that in the British justice system a protester can now be convicted of criminal damage for disrupting an arms factory and then be sentenced as ‘terrorists’ without having been convicted of terror charges and with this having been kept secret from the jury.” — Defend Our Juries spokesperson

The Guardian

• “This is not everything that I’d like to tell you, but I’m so scared of the consequences of saying something I’m not permitted to, that I hope this is enough.” — Leona Kamio, activist

Palestine Action Activists to Be Sentenced As Terrorists in Move Kept Secret From Jury and Public

The sentencing hearing will determine whether the defendants receive a terrorist sentence, which could impose lifetime terrorist designation requiring registration of devices, bank accounts, email addresses and relationships with police. Critics have warned that decision could set a precedent for future protest prosecutions and affect scope of UK terrorism law.

The Guardian