Hunt For Terror Suspect Soldier Daniel Khalife After Wandsworth Prison Escape

A manhunt was launched for a soldier who escaped prison on Wednesday morning and is suspected of terrorist charges.

Daniel Abed Khalife, 21, was held without bail after being suspected of planting fake bombs at a military base.

He escaped from HMP Wandsworth in London and is believed to be still in the city.

He stands 6ft 2ins tall and was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, red and white striped trousers, and brown steel-toe cap boots, according to police.

He escaped from HMP Wandsworth, a category B jail in south-west London, at around 07:50 BST, according to police.

Mr Khalife has connections to the Kingston region, and detectives believe he is “most likely” still in London, though he may have flown farther afield.

The public is warned not to approach Mr Khalife and to call 999 immediately if they see him.

“We have a team of officers making extensive and urgent enquiries in order to locate and detain Khalife as soon as possible,” said Cdr Dominic Murphy, director of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

“However, the public can assist us as well, and if anyone sees Khalife or has any information about his whereabouts, please call 999 or the immediately.”

“I also want to reassure the public that we have no information or reason to believe that Khalife poses a threat to the general public, but if you see him, do not approach him and call 999 immediately.”

Mr Khalife has connections to the Kingston region, and detectives believe he is “most likely” still in London, though he may have flown farther afield.

Khalife was being remanded, awaiting trial on terrorist and Official Secrets Act charges.

He allegedly left phony devices at MOD Stafford “with the intention of inducing in another the belief that the item was likely to explode or ignite,” Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard in February.

He “elicited” personal information about soldiers from the Ministry of Defence Joint Personnel Administration System, which was “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism” in 2021, according to a prior court hearing.

Mr Khalife is accused of committing the crimes while stationed at MOD Stafford, known as Beacon Barracks.

A court previously heard that he vanished from the base on January 2nd following the suspected bomb hoax before being apprehended weeks later on January 26th.

On January 28th, a prosecutor told Westminster Magistrates’ Court that there had been “active efforts to look for him” and that he had been “arrested in or near his car.”

Mr Khalife has connections to the Kingston region, and detectives believe he is “most likely” still in London, though he may have flown farther afield.

He was detained at HMP Belmarsh following his court appearance. He was not granted bail, and it is unknown when he was moved to HMP Wandsworth.

According to the PA News agency archive, Mr Khalife appeared in court on January 28th, February 17th, and July 21st. By July, he was in Wandsworth prison, where he appeared in court via video connection that month.

He was being remanded before a trial at Woolwich Crown Court on November 13th.

Prison escapes have been uncommon in recent years, with only five occurring since 2017 and less than 20 occurring since 2010.

The last infamous escape involving terrorism detainees occurred in 1994 when IRA prisoners escaped Whitemoor jail.

According to a January 2022 report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons, a “serious security breach” at HMP Wandsworth in 2019 resulted in an escape.

According to the report, the inspectorate was given “some assurance that action to prevent further escapes had been taken,” but “current local security data evidenced some concerns in the physical aspects of security.”

SOURCE – (BBC)