Ex-soldier’s prison escape sparks nationwide manhunt
Daniel Khalife’s daring getaway
A jury has been sworn in to try ex-soldier Daniel Khalife, 23, accused of a jaw-dropping prison escape and passing secret info to enemy agents. Khalife appeared at Woolwich Crown Court facing four serious charges.
On September 6, 2023, Khalife allegedly strapped himself under a food delivery lorry to break out of HMP Wandsworth in south London, where he was held on terror and espionage charges.
Manhunt and dramatic capture
The escape triggered a full-scale manhunt across the country. Just three days later, Khalife was caught on a canal towpath in west London after being pushed off a bike by a plain-clothes counter-terrorism officer.
Spy charges and bomb hoax accusations
- Khalife is charged with passing sensitive details to Iranian intelligence between May 2019 and January 2022, breaking the Official Secrets Act.
- He allegedly staged a bomb hoax in Staffordshire by leaving three canisters wired to cause fear of an explosion or fire.
- Another charge claims he tried to access personal information on armed forces personnel from a Ministry of Defence system in August 2021, potentially aiding terrorist activities.
Not guilty plea and lengthy trial ahead
Khalife has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His trial, overseen by Justice Cheema-Grubb, is expected to last around six weeks, keeping the nation glued to courtroom drama.
