Heavy Prison Terms Handed to Palestine Action Activists Over Elbit Factory Attack

Four pro-Palestinian activists from Palestine Action have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms after being convicted over a break-in at Elbit, the Israeli weapons manufacturer’s factory in Britain, and extensive damage to property and military equipment. The intrusion took place in August 2024 and caused damage assessed at 1.2 million pounds.

Samuel Corner, 23, received seven years and eight months in prison. He was also convicted of assaulting a British police officer, whom he struck with a hammer and severely injured. The judge said, “Corner had no justification for using extreme and wanton violence. He showed no remorse and used extreme and unexpected violence against a police officer acting in the line of duty.”

Charlotte Head, 30, and Leona Kamio, 30, were each sentenced to five years in prison. Fatma Rajwani, 21, received four years and eight months for criminal damage. The court said there was a terror link to the offenses and described the operation as a “carefully planned and highly sophisticated attack.”

The judge added that trying to shut down a company the activists believed was acting unlawfully did not reduce the seriousness of the crimes. He also said the criminal damage was intended to intimidate the British government, Elbit employees, and other businesses connected to the company, and to advance a political or ideological cause. The activists will not be eligible for automatic early release, and a special parole panel will later decide whether they pose a risk to the public and when they can be freed.