Two Romanians jailed for stabbing journalist on behalf of Iran regime

Two Romanian nationals have been jailed for stabbing a journalist in Wimbledon on behalf of the Iranian regime in an attempt to "silence" him.

Their target, Pouria Zeraati, works for the Persian language channel Iran International, that is critical of the Iranian government.

Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25, attacked him in March 2024 as he walked to his car near his home, just around the corner from the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

At the Old Bailey in London, Stana was sentenced to 12 years in prison and Badea to eight, after being convicted last month of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The knife attack left Zeraati in hospital needing stitches for three stab wounds in his leg.

Police said that in the lead up to the attack, two men approached the victim as he left his home, heading towards his car.

One asked for money, before the victim was then held by a man, and stabbed multiple times in the leg by the second man.

They then made off on foot before getting into a blue Mazda.

The court heard that Stana drove the Mazda getaway car. Zeraati said Badea wielded the knife, while a third man, David Andrei, held him while he was being stabbed.

The men then left the UK on a flight to Geneva from Heathrow Airport. Andrei is still in Romania, Badea and Stana were extradited to the UK.

Sentencing Badea and Stana, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said "I am sure that this was an attack for - or for the benefit of - a foreign power."

"The victim Pouria Zeraati was not selected at random."

"He had previously been subject to threats," she said, and there had been posters put up in the Iranian capital Tehran with his photograph and the words "Wanted. Dead or alive".

The judge concluded that Stana knew or should have known that the attack was being carried out on behalf of Iran, but said she was not sure that Badea knew.

The court heard that the attack had been planned for "at least one year" with extensive surveillance of Zeraati's home in Wimbledon.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Zeraati said the attack had caused him "significant sleeplessness".

"The incident has left me scared and anxious," he said.

He explained that he has had to move address several times and that he is afraid of going out on his own.

"I find it difficult to go to restaurants for fear of being followed," he said. "I am always looking over my shoulder."

Iran International said the attack on their journalist "was appalling - terrifying for him and his wife, and shocking to his colleagues at Iran International.

"Our journalists are subject to an ongoing campaign of intimidation by the Islamic Republic of Iran - both in Iran itself where their relatives are routinely threatened and treated harshly as well as to themselves on British soil.

"We are more than thankful for the protection given us by the police and the UK authorities."

After the sentencing, Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle said: "This abhorrent attack was carried out on behalf of Iran before both men cowardly fled the country.

"With the support of our international partners, we brought them back to the UK and now they will spend years behind bars."

She added that they take "the threat from Iran extremely seriously, and we will continue to hold the regime to account".

Lawyers for both men submitted that they did not know that they were working for Iran when they carried out the attack.

Stana's barrister Peter Caldwell KC said: "He did not know it and could not know it. He is not a sophisticated person. He is functionally illiterate. He is not aware of current affairs."

For Badea, David Spens KC said "I do not dispute that the prosecution has established that the attack was carried out on behalf of a foreign power."

But, he said, "There is no evidence from which it can be inferred Mr Badea had knowledge of those matters."

Ch Supt Kris Wright, head of protective security operations for Counter Terrorism Policing London said: "It was our case that this targeted and violent attack on a journalist was carried out on behalf of the Iranian regime, and the judge agreed with that assessment of the evidence.

"Our recent casework shows an increasing use of so-called 'proxies' by hostile foreign states to conduct illegal activity and attacks in the UK.

"Our message to anyone being asked to carry out activity by foreign states or even unknown entities online is to think again, because you will be caught and you will face justice."