British Activist Linked to Terrorist Behind Anti-Israel Resolution

Lubna Spiteen, a British-Palestinian activist, is reportedly a close friend of an al-Qaeda terrorist who planned a suicide bombing at London's Heathrow Airport targeting hundreds of people, including those arriving from Israel or the United States. The revelation comes from a report by the British newspaper The Telegraph, which also stated that Spiteen had previously offered to testify in defense of the terrorist, Minah Kwang Pham. Pham was convicted in the U.S. for his membership in al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and for plotting the attack. Court documents from 2015 described Spiteen as his "close friend."

Spiteen is the individual behind a recent resolution adopted by the UK's Green Party that labels Zionism as a form of racism. The resolution, which passed with 56% of the vote, calls for a single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital and advocates for extensive sanctions against Israel, likening its policies to the apartheid regime in South Africa. Spiteen, who joined the Green Party last year after being part of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's "Your Party," has previously stated that Hamas should not be defined as a terrorist organization. In June, she said Zionists would be "hunted" globally, comparing it to how Nazi oppressors were hunted, and that it would not happen without force.

When questioned by The Telegraph about her continued friendship with Pham, Spiteen confirmed the relationship had not changed and that Pham was "targeted by the system." She dismissed the question as "insulting" and claimed it had no bearing on her work, accusing the "establishment media" of attempting to demonize Palestinians and suggesting Pham was wrongly accused. She stated that people are "demonized for all sorts of things, and wrongly accused of all sorts of things," and that questions about her relationship with Pham were an attempt at "character assassination."

Pham, originally from Vietnam, joined AQAP in Yemen in 2011. The plan was for him to return to Britain and detonate a backpack bomb filled with shrapnel and rat poison in a crowded area of Heathrow Airport, with a particular focus on flights from Israel or the U.S. The plot was uncovered when Pham returned to the UK in 2011, and a bullet was found in his luggage. Although initially released by British police, MI5 continued to monitor him. Subsequent searches of his home revealed he had watched videos by Anwar al-Awlaki, a prominent AQAP figure. Pham was extradited to the U.S. in 2015, where he faced terror charges. His defense team sought Spiteen's testimony, describing her as a "close friend" who would testify to his peaceful nature and cognitive limitations, potentially supporting a defense based on mental state. The prosecution opposed this, arguing her testimony was irrelevant and that other defense witnesses refused to travel to New York.

In January 2016, Pham pleaded guilty, admitting to being part of AQAP and assisting with its English-language propaganda magazine, "Inspire." However, he initially claimed the bombing plot was a ruse to escape Yemen. New evidence emerged in 2016, including videos of Pham examining explosives and declaring his desire to die a martyr, along with a document from al-Awlaki titled "Your Instructions" detailing the Heathrow plot. This led Pham to retract his earlier statement and admit he had planned to kill hundreds. In 2025, he was resentenced to 44 years in prison. In a letter to the judge, Pham expressed remorse for his actions, calling them a "huge betrayal" of Britain.

The Green Party is facing internal backlash over the resolution. Party leader Zac Goldsmith, who is Jewish and self-identifies as anti-Zionist, did not vote on the resolution. He had attempted to introduce an amendment to protect Jewish members belonging to Zionist synagogues, but it was rejected. Goldsmith faced criticism for not opposing the resolution more forcefully and was reported to have "liked" a social media post telling critics to "get over yourselves." He also avoided directly answering whether Israel has a right to exist in a BBC interview, stating, "I believe human beings have a right to exist. Israelis have a right to exist, and Palestinians have a right to exist." Vivian Lichtenstein, head of the Jewish group within the Green Party, stated that the decision does not help Palestinians and that she is considering leaving the party, acknowledging the presence of "some antisemites in the party." Former party leaders Caroline Lucas, Adrian Ramsay, and Carla Denyer also opposed the resolution, with Lucas warning it could alienate Jewish members.