Who has escaped from Wandsworth Prison and what crimes is he accused of? | UK News

Daniel Abed Khalife is believed to have absconded from HMP Wandsworth shortly before 8am on Wednesday, September 6, using straps to attach himself to the underside of a food delivery van.

Khalife had reportedly been working in the prison kitchens and was dressed in a chef’s outfit – a white t-shirt, red and white chequered trousers, and brown steel-toe cap boots.

Airports, ports, and other travel terminals have been put on high alert, with additional security installed and some travellers reporting additional delays amid concerns Khalife could try to flee the country.

But who is Daniel Abed Khalife, and what was he accused of?

Who is Daniel Abed Khalife?

Daniel Abed Khalife is 21 years old, and the Met police describe him as ‘slim build’ with short brown hair and around 6ft 2ins tall, with links to Kingston in London.

Khalife had been serving as a soldier in the British Army since 2018, reportedly serving as a computer network engineer with the Royal Corps of Signals.

The Signal Corps are the British Army’s communications division, and, according to the Ministry of Defence, ‘Royal Signals are trained to become experts in engineering and operating systems, networks and cyber equipment.’

What crimes is Daniel Khalife accused of?

While serving with the army, Khalife was believed to have been based at the MOD base in Stafford, known as Beacon Barracks.

Khalife was initially arrested in January 2022 (on suspicion of a different offence) but was bailed before being re-arrested following an investigation by the counter-terrorism command at Scotland Yard.

He would ultimately be charged with offences relating to the Official Secrets Act and terror offences after allegedly carrying out a bomb hoax at the military base in Stafford.

The Independent reports that court documents tell how he allegedly placed ‘three canisters with wires at RAF Stafford with the intention of inducing in another a belief that the said article was likely to explode or ignite and thereby cause personal injury or damage to property’.

He also stands accused of breaching the Official Secrets Act by gathering information potentially useful to an enemy between May 1, 2019, and January 6, 2022, and of ‘eliciting or trying to elicit information that could be useful for a terrorist on August 2 2021’.

Daniel Abed Khalife reportedly denied all charges against him and is currently due to face a six-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court beginning November 13, 2023.

Currently, police believe Khalife most likely remains in the London area.

The Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, Commander Dominic Murphy, has said: ‘We have a team of officers who are making extensive and urgent enquiries in order to locate and detain Khalife as quickly as possible.

‘However, the public can help us as well and should anyone see Khalife or have any information as to where he might be, then please call 999 immediately.

‘I also want to reassure the public that we have no information which indicates, nor any reason to believe that Khalife poses a threat to the wider public, but our advice if you do see him is not to approach him and call 999 straight away.’

The Metropolitan Police have warned the public not to approach Khalife and to instead call 999 immediately if he is spotted, quoting reference CAD 1631/06SEP23.