Daniel Khalife

Last updated

Daniel Abed Khalife (born 27 September 2001) is a former British Army soldier. In January 2022, he allegedly left a fake explosive device on his desk, illegally accessed personal information about British soldiers, and shared that information and other classified documents with contacts in Iran. He was arrested for breaching the Official Secrets Act and was bailed pending charges. In January 2023, he fled before being recaptured and held on remand. In May 2023, he was discharged from the army.

Contents

On 6 September 2023, Khalife escaped from HM Prison Wandsworth in London and attempted to reconnect with an Iranian contact. The escape triggered a nationwide police search and delays at major transport hubs. After three days as a fugitive, he was captured by the Metropolitan Police near Northolt, Greater London.

In November 2024, he was found guilty of spying for Iran.

Early life and career

Daniel Abed Khalife was born on 27 September 2001 in London. [1] [2] His mother was born in Iran. [3] For a while he lived in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. [2] He attended Teddington School, a comprehensive school in Teddington, Greater London, where he was a talented runner. [4] He left school in 2018. [2]

Khalife joined the army in 2018 [5] or 2019. [6] He was a network engineer serving with the Royal Corps of Signals, [7] and was based at Beacon Barracks, Stafford. [8] [2]

Initial charges and imprisonment

In September 2018, soon after he joined the military, Khalife contacted an Iranian intelligence agent, though he claimed to have told MI6 that he wished to become a double agent [9] [10] this was seen by prosecutors as a "cynical game" he was playing. [10] He also contacted a man linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) via Facebook and further built relationships with other Iranian contacts. [9] During his military service, Khalife photographed a list containing the names of 15 soldiers, including some members of the elite Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS); [10] it is believed that he sent the list to his Iranian contacts and later deleted the correspondence. [9] Khalife denied these allegations. [9] He also collected a "very large body of restricted and classified material" and appears to have sent Iran at least two classified documents, one of which containing information on drones, the other on "Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance". [9] A forged document Khalife sent to the Iranians stated that the British government refused to negotiate the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, thereby putting her in danger. [10] Zaghari-Ratcliffe was eventually released after an alleged UK debt of £400m dating back to the 1970s was settled. [10] Khalife received payment from the Iranians for the information he provided them, and was documented collecting US$2,000 (£1,500) left for him in a dog poo bag in a North London park. [9]

On 6 January 2022, Khalife was arrested on suspicion of breaching the Official Secrets Act and was bailed and allowed to return to his army base. [2]

He fled on 2 January 2023, but three weeks later he was arrested and charged with terror and explosives offences and remanded to HM Prison Wandsworth, a Category B men's prison, to await his trial. [11] [12] The offences related to two incidents in Staffordshire, one in August 2021 and one in January 2023. [11]

Khalife appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court on 7 February 2023 where details of the accusations were set out, including that he left canisters with wires at MOD Stafford on 2 January 2023 with the intent of "inducing in another the belief the item was likely to explode or ignite" and that he had accessed the Joint Personnel Administration to elicit personal information about soldiers "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism" in 2021. [13] These offences were contrary to section 51 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and contrary to section 58A of the Terrorism Act 2000 respectively. [14]

He was discharged from the army in May 2023, following charges relating to terrorism and breaking the Official Secrets Act. [2]

On 21 July 2023, Khalife appeared at the Old Bailey and pleaded not guilty to charges under the Official Secrets Act and the Terrorism Act. [15] [16] His trial was due to begin on 13 November 2023. [6]

A Bidfood food delivery truck similar to the one used in the escape Bidvest Foodservice SN63 RDY (24636296991).jpg
A Bidfood food delivery truck similar to the one used in the escape

On 6 September 2023 Khalife escaped from HM Prison Wandsworth in south west London where he was being held on remand. [17] [8] He was said to have been working in the prison kitchen and was wearing a chef's uniform consisting of a white t-shirt, red and white chequered trousers and brown steel-toe cap boots. [16] The Metropolitan Police (Met) believe that Khalife escaped by strapping himself to the underside of a food delivery van [9] using a material which was "made from bedsheets with clips at each end". [18] [17] [19] A food supply vehicle had left the prison at 7:30 am and contingency plans for an "unaccounted prisoner" were activated at 7:50 am, including the lockdown of the prison and informing the police. [20] At 8:37 am, police stopped the food van in East Putney, and discovered strapping—possibly made from bedsheets—beneath the vehicle. [19] [21]

Khalife's escape sparked a police search, and additional security checks at British airports and ports. [22] During the night of 7–8 September, Richmond Park, the largest park in Greater London, was closed while the Met undertook a search; this included using helicopters with infra-red technology to search for body heat. [23] The Met said that 150 officers were involved in the search, in addition to police from other forces and members of the Border Force. [24] From 8 September, a reward of up to £20,000 was offered for information leading to Khalife's arrest. [25]

At 5 pm on 8 September, police confirmed a sighting of Khalife in southwest London on the morning of the escape. They stated that a man fitting Khalife's description was seen walking away from a Bidfood van near Wandsworth Roundabout shortly after his escape; the man then walked towards Wandsworth town centre. [26]

Capture and subsequent charges

On the morning of 9 September 2023, Metropolitan Police reported that Khalife had been sighted overnight in the Chiswick area of London. [27]

A plain-clothed officer was informed that Khalife had been seen on a bicycle on the Grand Union Canal towpath near Rowdell Road in Northolt. The officer attended, drew his Taser, and told Khalife to get off the bicycle. [18] [28] [29] Khalife was arrested at 10:41 am on suspicion of being unlawfully at large and escaping lawful custody, [29] approximately 14 miles (23 km) from Wandsworth prison. [28] [29] In his possession was a mobile phone and a bag containing money and receipts which suggested that he had purchased clothes and credit for the mobile phone [18] which he used to message an Iranian contact, simply stating "I wait". [30] [9] [10]

On 10 September the Metropolitan Police confirmed Khalife had been charged with escaping from lawful custody in relation to escaping from HMP Wandsworth. [31] [21] He appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court on 11 September, where he was remanded in custody until 29 September when he will appear at the Old Bailey. [21] Following the hearing he was taken from court to the Category A Belmarsh Prison. [32] On 21 September Khalife appeared in court from Belmarsh Prison via videolink and pleaded not guilty to escaping from lawful custody. [33] [34] On 21 December a new trial date was set to begin from 7 October 2024. [35]

Reaction to escape

On 7 September 2023 Alex Chalk MP, the Justice Secretary, ordered an investigation into the escape with a preliminary report being requested to be ready by the end of the week. This will include investigating the vehicle in question, whether other prisoners could enact a similar escape, and how Khalife was assigned to the kitchen, usually a valued job given to trusted prisoners, where he had access to knives and a potential escape route. [36] On 8 September Sir Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, described the escape as "clearly pre-planned", and that the police were investigating whether he was assisted in his escape by other prisoners, prison officers, or people from outside the prison. [23]

The chief prison inspector, Charlie Taylor, said that there are "too many prisoners in Wandsworth for the amount of staff who are there". Inspectors also stated that "more than 30% of prison officers were either absent or unable to work their full duties." [37] On 9 May 2024 Taylor wrote to the Secretary of State for Justice to urge him to put the prison into emergency measures after an inspection raised concerns about ongoing failings in security at Wandsworth. [38]

On 10 September 2023 Chalk confirmed that approximately 40 inmates had been transferred from Wandsworth following a review after Khalife's escape from the prison. [39]

On 15 September 2023, figures published by the Ministry of Justice indicated that 80 prison officers (around 39% of the workforce) did not turn up for work at Wandsworth Prison on the morning of Khalife's escape. However, the UK government said staffing levels were "above the minimum" needed. [40]

Change of plea and conviction

On 11 November 2024, Khalife changed his plea to guilty for the charge of escaping lawful custody. [41] On 28 November, he was found guilty of spying for Iran.[ clarification needed ] [9] He had contacted Iranian intelligence, and had also contacted the British security services to offer himself as a double agent. [42] [43]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Dartmoor</span> Mens prison in Princetown, England

HM Prison Dartmoor is a currently inactive Category C men's prison, located in Princetown, high on Dartmoor in the English county of Devon. Its high granite walls dominate this area of the moor. The prison is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, and is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.

Charles Arthur Salvador better known by his professional name of Charles Bronson, is a British criminal, with a violent and notorious life as a prisoner. He has spent periods detained in the Rampton, Broadmoor, and Ashworth high-security psychiatric hospitals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Pentonville</span> Mens prison in London

HM Prison Pentonville is an English Category B men's prison, operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. Pentonville Prison is not in Pentonville, but is located further north, on the Caledonian Road in the Barnsbury area of the London Borough of Islington, north London. In 2015 the justice secretary, Michael Gove, described Pentonville as "the most dramatic example of failure" within the prisons estate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Wandsworth</span> Mens prison in London, England

HM Prison Wandsworth is a Category B men's prison at Wandsworth in the London Borough of Wandsworth, South West London, England. It is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service and is one of the largest prisons in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse</span> 2004 American military scandal

During the early stages of the Iraq War, members of the United States Army and the Central Intelligence Agency committed a series of human rights violations and war crimes against detainees in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. These abuses included physical abuse, sexual humiliation, physical and psychological torture, and rape, as well as the killing of Manadel al-Jamadi and the desecration of his body. The abuses came to public attention with the publication of photographs by CBS News in April 2004, causing shock and outrage and receiving widespread condemnation within the United States and internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Belmarsh</span> Mens prison in Thamesmead, London, England

His Majesty's Prison Belmarsh is a Category A men's prison in Thamesmead, southeast London, England. The prison is used for high-profile cases, particularly those concerning national security. Within the grounds is the High Security Unit (HSU), which consists of 48 single cells. It is run by His Majesty's Prison Service. The prison has been called "Britain's Guantanamo Bay" due to the long-term detention of terrorism suspects without charge. Considered the toughest prison in the UK, Belmarsh is also notoriously known as "Hellmarsh" owing to the high number of physical and authority abuses reported by both the prison's inmates, and by human rights activists.

On Thursday, 21 July 2005, four attempted bomb attacks by Islamist extremists disrupted part of London's public transport system as a follow-up attack from the 7 July 2005 London bombings. The explosions occurred around midday at Shepherd's Bush, Warren Street and Oval stations on the London Underground, and on London Buses route 26 in Haggerston. A fifth bomber dumped his device without attempting to set it off.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamdi Adus Isaac</span> Member of al-Qaeda

Hamdi Adus Isaac is an Islamic terrorist who was found guilty of having placed an explosive at the Shepherd's Bush tube station during the failed 21 July 2005 London bombings. Born in Ethiopia, Hussain is a naturalised British citizen married to Yeshshiemebet Girma.

Black sites are clandestine detention centers operated by a state where prisoners who have not been charged with a crime are incarcerated without due process or court order, are often mistreated and murdered, and have no recourse to bail.

Kandahar Central Jail, also known as Sarpuza Prison, is a minimum-security prison in Kandahar, Afghanistan. It is located next to the Kandahar-Herat Highway in the Sarpuza neighborhood, which is between the neighborhoods of Mirwais Mena and Shahr-e Naw, in the western part of the city. Its current warden is Sayed Akhtar Mohammad Agha Hussaini.

Colin Duffy is an Irish republican, described by the BBC as the most recognisable name and face among dissident republicans in Northern Ireland. He was cleared of murder charges in three court cases involving police and army killings.

A list of suspects and convictions related to the 2004 Madrid Train Bombings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Lee Rigby</span> 2013 killing of a British soldier

On the afternoon of 22 May 2013, a British Army soldier, Fusilier Lee Rigby of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, was attacked and killed by Islamist terrorists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, southeast London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salah Abdeslam</span> Belgian-born French convicted terrorist

Salah Abdeslam is a Belgian-born Islamic terrorist who was sentenced to life in prison in France in 2022 as the only surviving member of the 10-man unit that carried out the attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015, in which 130 people were killed and more than 490 injured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Reading stabbings</span> Stabbing attack in Reading, England

On 20 June 2020, shortly before 19:00 BST, a man with a knife attacked people who were socialising in Forbury Gardens, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom. Three men died from their wounds, and three other people were seriously injured. Khairi Saadallah, a 25-year-old Libyan male refugee, was arrested shortly afterwards. He was charged with three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder; he pleaded guilty. In January 2021, Saadallah was sentenced to a whole-life term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trial of Hamid Nouri</span> Swedish trial for murder and war crimes

The trial of Hamid Nouri, an Iranian official detained in 2019 in Sweden, took place in 2022. Nouri was found guilty of being a key figure in the 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners, where according to different estimates between 2,800 to 30,000 Iranians were massacred. In early 2021 charges of murder and war crimes were filed against the former Iranian prosecutor, where Nouri was accused of "torture and inhuman treatment." The trial constituted the first time someone has been charged in relation to the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. Nouri was charged with more than 100 murders and "a serious crime against international law", and was expected to provide evidence implicating Ebrahim Raisi, president of Iran, at the time of the trial.

Events of the year 2023 in the United Kingdom. This is the year of the coronation of King Charles III.

References

  1. ↑ "Appeal to trace man escaped from HMP Wandsworth". Mynewsdesk. Metropolitan Police. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Evans, Martin; Hymas, Charles; Sawer, Patrick (6 September 2023). "Escaped terror suspect may be trying to flee country". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  3. ↑ Sandford, Daniel; Wright, George (9 October 2024). "Daniel Khalife: Ex-soldier accused of spying for Iran 'gathered names of special forces'". BBC News .
  4. ↑ "Who is Daniel Khalife: Profile of escaped prisoner". BBC News. 8 September 2023.
  5. ↑ Evans, Holly; Gregory, Andy (8 September 2023). "All we know about Daniel Khalife - Royal Signals soldier on the run from prison". Independent. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Escaped prisoner Daniel Khalife still on the run". BBC News. 7 September 2023. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  7. ↑ "Daniel Khalife arrested by police in Chiswick, west London". BBC News. 8 September 2023. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  8. 1 2 Vaughan, Henry; Robinson, James (6 September 2023). "Daniel Abed Khalife: Terror suspect escapes Wandsworth Prison". Sky News. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Daniel Khalife: Former British soldier found guilty of spying for Iran". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rawlinson, Kevin (28 November 2024). "Former soldier Daniel Khalife found guilty of spying for Iran". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  11. 1 2 "Serving member of British Army charged with terror and explosives offences". Sky News. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "Former soldier who escaped prison convicted of spying for Iran | The Crown Prosecution Service". www.cps.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  13. ↑ "British Army serviceman appears in court charged with terror offences". BBC News. 7 February 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  14. ↑ "British army member accused of 'bomb hoax' appears in court". The Guardian. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  15. ↑ "What's on at the Old Bailey on July 21". Old Bailey Insight & Legal London. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  16. 1 2 Evans, Holly (6 September 2023). "Soldier accused of planting fake bombs escapes from prison clinging to delivery van". Independent. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  17. 1 2 "Hunt for terror suspect ex-soldier Daniel Khalife after Wandsworth prison escape". BBC News. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 "Daniel Khalife: Terror suspect may have used bedsheet to escape, court hears". BBC News. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  19. 1 2 "Reward offered as the search for Daniel Abed Khalife continues". Mynewsdesk. Metropolitan Police. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  20. ↑ Hamilton, Fiona; Dathan, Matt; Gardham, Duncan; Woode, David (7 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife: Wandsworth prison faces inquiry into terror suspect escape". The Times. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  21. 1 2 3 Sandford, Daniel; Wilkinson, Helena (11 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife: Terror suspect may have used bed-sheet to escape, court hears". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  22. ↑ Booth, Robert (6 September 2023). "Ex-soldier accused of terrorism flees London prison, sparking police hunt". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  23. 1 2 "Daniel Khalife: Police search Richmond Park for terror suspect". BBC News. 8 September 2023. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  24. ↑ Cobham, Tara; Singh, Namita (8 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife: Escape 'pre-planned', says Met chief as police search Richmond Park". Independent. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  25. ↑ "Daniel Khalife: Sighting of escaped prisoner reported to Met Police". BBC News. 8 September 2023. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  26. ↑ "Daniel Khalife: Confirmed sighting of escaped terror suspect, police say". Sky News. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  27. ↑ "Daniel Khalife: Police confirm new sightings in Chiswick, west London". BBC News. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  28. 1 2 McLoughlin, Bill (9 September 2023). "Terror suspect Daniel Khalife arrested in Chiswick". Evening Standard. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  29. 1 2 3 Kleiderman, Alex (9 September 2023). "Escaped terror suspect Daniel Khalife arrested in north-west London". BBC News. London: BBC. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  30. ↑ "Daniel Khalife denies asking Iran for help after prison escape". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  31. ↑ Jones, Harrison (10 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife charged over Wandsworth prison escape". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  32. ↑ Vaughan, Henry (11 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife escaped prison using material which may have been from bed sheets, court hears". Sky News. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  33. ↑ "Daniel Khalife pleads not guilty to Wandsworth prison escape". BBC News. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  34. ↑ Media, P. A. (21 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife pleads not guilty to escaping custody at Wandsworth prison". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  35. ↑ Emily, Pennink (21 December 2023). "Former soldier Daniel Khalife to face trial next autumn on Iran spying charge". Evening Standard. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  36. ↑ "Daniel Khalife: How did terror suspect break out of jail?". BBC News. 7 September 2023. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  37. ↑ Sabbagh, Dan (7 September 2023). "Prison break: how Daniel Khalife went from smiling soldier to suspected spy on the run". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  38. ↑ Vaughan, Henry (9 May 2024). "Wandsworth prison needs 'urgent improvement' eight months on from alleged Daniel Khalife escape, watchdog says". Sky News. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  39. ↑ Jones, Harrison (10 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife: About 40 inmates moved from Wandsworth prison after escape". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  40. ↑ "Eighty prison staff absent on day Daniel Khalife escaped". BBC News. BBC. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  41. ↑ "Daniel Khalife changes plea to guilty on prison escape charge". BBC News. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  42. ↑ "Daniel Khalife used Facebook to make first contact with Iran, court hears". BBC News. 15 October 2024.
  43. ↑ "Daniel Khalife: Alleged Iranian spy contacted MI6 to become double agent, court hears". BBC News. 10 October 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.