Daniel Khalife, a 21-year-old former soldier, is scheduled to face the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, following accusations of a daring escape from Wandsworth prison.
With only four days of freedom before his arrest, Khalife spent those on the run after allegedly fleeing from the HMP Wandsworth, where he had been held on remand since January. Charged with terror offences, Khalife was apprehended on the towpath in Northolt, London on a Saturday.
London’s Metropolitan Police shed light on the matter, stating Khalife had been charged on 6 September for escaping remand custody while awaiting his trial at the historic Old Bailey. An act, they add, goes against common law.
Efforts to recapture Khalife saw an expansive manhunt encompassing both land and air searches, scanning the length and breadth of west London. He was eventually detained 14 miles from Wandsworth prison, taken into custody by a plain-clothed officer who had intercepted his bicycle getaway.
This incident has sparked controversy around the ostensibly secure prison’s measures. Justice Secretary Alex Chalk publicly announced his initiation of a detailed investigation into the security protocols at Wandsworth. Despite the escape, preliminary findings suggest that the regulations and staffing levels on the day of Khalife’s escape were in compliance with their standard procedures.
Khalife stands accused of espionage for an enemy state – believed to be Iran – and gathering information that may aid an individual in committing or preparing for a terrorist act. Additional charges include planning a fictitious bomb hoax at MOD Stafford, where he was previously stationed. He fervently denies all accusations and had entered a plea of not guilty at a hearing in July.
