Who is Daniel Khalife? Escaped terror suspect and ex-British army soldier who was arrested later

Daniel Khalife is a 21-year-old ex-British soldier who escaped from the prison on Wednesday and was at large for around 75 hours. Later, a plainclothes officer arrested him at Rowdell Road in Northolt on the canal towpath after spotting him riding a bike.

Khalife allegedly escaped the jail while wearing a chef's uniform and strapping himself to the underside of a food delivery truck. After his escape, forty prisoners were moved out of the Wandsworth prison with extreme caution, using the "additional resources" provided to the prison, the Evening Standard reported.

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Here's everything you need to know about Daniel Khalife.

Who is Daniel Khalife and how did he escape

Khalife was stationed at the Beacon Barracks in Stanford during his time as a soldier in the military. A relative of Khalife told the Times that he was a "very intelligent, easygoing and kind boy" who changed in the past year.

Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said on a live phone-in on LBC news show that Khalife's escape was "clearly pre-planned" and "extremely concerning."

On social media, Khalife described himself as a computer specialist with IT and system administration skills, the Telegraph reported. He reportedly hails from Kingston upon Thames in south-west London. His mother and twin sister lived in an apartment near Richmond Park until a few years ago.

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Daniel Khalife was on trial for planting a fake bomb and gathering confidential information for terrorists or enemies of the United Kingdom. Reports said he was collecting sensitive data for Iran. From 1 May 2019 to 6 January 2022, Khalife violated the Official Secrets Act by gathering data the enemy could exploit. In January 2023, he placed "three canisters with wires" on a desk in his MoD lodgings, causing others to fear an explosion. On 22 May 2023, the army relieved him from his duty after he was charged with many criminal offences.

In July 2023, Khalife appeared at the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court of England, through a video link from HMP Wandsworth, where he denied the charges.

The bench set 13 November 2023 as the date of his trial at the Woolwich Crown Court. Meanwhile, he was being held at HMP Wandsworth, a south London jail, which he escaped.

He was working in the prisoner's kitchen when he escaped wearing his cook's uniform at 07:50 am on Wednesday. He is believed to have strapped himself to the bottom of the Bidfood delivery lorry.

A national hunt for Khalife involving over 150 counter-terrorism officers and staff from the Met was launched on Wednesday before his arrest on Saturday.

(With inputs from agencies)

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