Four Palestine Action activists convicted of criminal damage at a UK factory owned by Israeli defence company Elbit Systems are set to be sentenced as terrorists in June 2026, after a court ruling that was kept secret from the jury and the public until restrictions were lifted on 12 May 2026.

Who Is Palestine Action?

Palestine Action is a direct action campaign group based in the United Kingdom that campaigns against the UK operations of Elbit Systems, an Israeli defence and technology company. The group describes its aim as shutting down Elbit’s UK sites through sustained protest activity and direct action, including occupations and acts of criminal damage at factories and premises linked to the company.

Palestine Action was formed in 2020 and has carried out numerous actions at Elbit-linked sites across England, resulting in multiple arrests and prosecutions of its members. The group intensified its activities following the start of the conflict in Gaza in October 2023. It has not been proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom, but the legal proceedings in 2026 have introduced significant questions about whether its members’ activities can be treated as having a terrorist connection under UK sentencing law.

What Did the Convicted Activists Do?

The four convicted activists — Charlotte Head, 30; Samuel Corner, 23; Leona Kamio, 30; and Fatema Zainab Rajwani, 21 — took part in a raid on a factory operated by Elbit Systems in the United Kingdom. The raid, which prosecutors said caused approximately one million pounds of damage to the site, took place in 2024, approximately ten months after the start of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.

During the action, the group broke into the factory and caused significant damage to the premises and equipment. One defendant was found guilty of striking a police officer with a sledgehammer during the raid. The prosecution argued that the damage caused was deliberate and substantial, and that the group had targeted an active defence manufacturing facility.

The Convictions at Woolwich Crown Court

The case was heard at Woolwich Crown Court, which handles serious criminal cases in London including terrorism and national security matters. On 5 May 2026, a jury found Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio and Fatema Zainab Rajwani guilty of criminal damage. Two other defendants, Zoe Rogers, 22, and Jordan Devlin, 31, were found not guilty.

The defendants were convicted of criminal damage only — they were not charged with terrorism offences and the jury was not told anything about terrorist-related considerations during the trial. Under UK law, the question of whether an offence has a terrorist connection is a matter for the judge at the sentencing stage, not for the jury to decide.

Why Are They Being Sentenced as Terrorists?

Following the convictions, the judge ruled that the offences carried out by the four defendants had a terrorist connection under section 69 of the Sentencing Act 2020. This provision allows a judge to treat an offence as having a terrorist connection if it appears to have been carried out in connection with, or in furtherance of, terrorism — even if the defendant was not charged with a terrorism offence.

The existence of this ruling was subject to reporting restrictions that prevented UK media from publishing any information about it. Those restrictions were lifted on 12 May 2026, allowing the matter to be reported publicly for the first time. Critics of the decision have argued that it is fundamentally unfair for defendants to face enhanced sentences based on a terrorist connection finding that was concealed from the jury that convicted them.

If the terrorist connection finding is upheld at sentencing, the four convicted activists will face significantly longer sentences than would otherwise apply to the criminal damage charges. They will also be listed on the terrorist notification register upon release, which imposes significant restrictions on their activities and movements.

What Happens at Sentencing?

Sentencing for Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio and Fatema Zainab Rajwani is scheduled to take place on 12 June 2026. At the hearing, the judge will pass sentence on the criminal damage convictions, applying the terrorist connection uplift under the Sentencing Act 2020 if the ruling stands.

The defendants have the opportunity to challenge aspects of the sentencing process through their legal representatives. Victims’ groups, civil liberties organisations and media outlets have called for greater transparency in future cases where terrorist connection findings are made. The case has generated significant public debate about the boundaries of protest, criminal damage and terrorism law in the United Kingdom.

Those with a family member remanded ahead of sentencing in a serious case can find out how to book a prison visit or learn about sending money to a prisoner on remand. For information on how long-term sentences work in England and Wales, see our guide to the Parole Board.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are Palestine Action members being sentenced as terrorists?

Four Palestine Action members convicted of criminal damage at an Elbit Systems factory are being sentenced as terrorists because a judge ruled their offences had a terrorist connection under the Sentencing Act 2020. This ruling was kept secret from the jury and the public until reporting restrictions were lifted on 12 May 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for 12 June 2026.

Who are the four Palestine Action activists convicted?

The four Palestine Action activists convicted at Woolwich Crown Court on 5 May 2026 are Charlotte Head, aged 30, Samuel Corner, aged 23, Leona Kamio, aged 30, and Fatema Zainab Rajwani, aged 21. Two other defendants, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin, were found not guilty.

What did Palestine Action do to the Elbit factory?

The four convicted activists took part in a raid on a UK factory operated by Elbit Systems, an Israeli defence company. Prosecutors said the raid caused approximately one million pounds of damage to the site. One defendant was convicted of striking a police officer with a sledgehammer during the action.

Has Palestine Action been declared a terrorist organisation?

No. Palestine Action has not been proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom. The four convicted activists were charged with criminal damage, not terrorism offences. However, a judge subsequently ruled that the offences had a terrorist connection under UK sentencing law, which means they will be sentenced with that finding applied.

When will the Palestine Action activists be sentenced?

Sentencing for the four convicted Palestine Action activists is scheduled to take place on 12 June 2026. If the terrorist connection finding stands, they will face longer sentences than would normally apply to criminal damage convictions and will be placed on the terrorist notification register upon release.