Who’s Daniel Abed Khalife? All the pieces we find out about terror suspect who escaped jail

The 21-year-old ex-soldier, who escaped jail on Wednesday and was at massive for round 75 hours, was pulled off a pushbike by a plain garments officer simply earlier than 11am.

He was arrested in Rowdell Street on the canal towpath after he was noticed driving the bike. Upon being detained Khalife was absolutely co-operative and handcuffed, Metropolitan Police mentioned.

Khalife is believed to have escaped – whereas sporting a chef’s uniform – by strapping himself to the underside of a meals supply truck.

Forty prisoners have been moved out of Wandsworth jail “out of an abundance of warning” following his escape and “further sources” offered to the jail, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk mentioned.

Right here is every part we find out about Khalife and his escape.

Who’s Daniel Abed Khalife?

Khalife is a former soldier who was beforehand stationed on the MoD’s Beacon Barracks in Stafford.

The barracks are house to the Royal Corps of Indicators 1st Sign Brigade, the Defence Electronics Company, the RAF Joint Helicopter Command’s Tactical Provide Wing and No 22 Group air power cadets.

An unnamed shut relative instructed the Instances that Khalife was “very, very clever, straightforward going and type boy” who had modified prior to now yr.

Khalife described his position on social media as being a pc specialist with abilities together with info expertise and system administration, in keeping with the Telegraph.

He’s understood to have been raised in Kingston upon Thames, south-west London. His mom and twin sister lived there in a flat close to Richmond Park till a number of years in the past, The Telegraph reported.

He was being held at HMP Wandsworth awaiting trial for planting a pretend bomb and gathering info that is perhaps helpful to terrorists or enemies of the UK.

Based on experiences, he’s accused of gathering info for Iran.

He’s accused of eliciting or making an attempt to elicit info that might be helpful for a terrorist on August 2, 2021, and breaching the Official Secrets and techniques Act by gathering info that might be helpful to an enemy between Might 1, 2019, and January 6, 2022.

The ex-serviceman can also be accused of a prison offence regarding the alleged bomb hoax.

It’s claimed that he positioned “three cannisters with wires” on a desk in his MoD lodgings on January 2 this yr, inflicting others to concern an explosion.

He was discharged from the military on Might 22, after being charged with prison offences.

Khalife appeared on the Outdated Bailey in late July, through videolink from HMP Wandsworth, when he denied the costs.

At his look, it was mentioned Khalife took soldier particulars from the MoD personnel recordsdata which might be “helpful to an individual committing or getting ready an act of terrorism”.

A trial date for Khalife had been set for November 13 at Woolwich Crown Court docket.

Within the meantime he was being held at HMP Wandsworth – a south London jail that is without doubt one of the largest within the UK, with a capability of 1,371.

It’s a Class B jail, which means it has the second-highest degree of safety.

Khalife was beforehand held at Class A jail HMP Belmarsh in Thamesmead, earlier than being transferred to Wandsworth, in keeping with experiences.

How did he escape?

Khalife was reportedly working within the jail kitchens, when he escaped wearing his cook dinner’s uniform at 7.50am on Wednesday.

He’s understood to have left the jail premises by strapping himself to the underside of a meals supply van.

The Bidfood supply lorry Khalife is believed to be strapped to the underside of left HMP Wandsworth at 7.32am on Wednesday. He was declared lacking at 7.50am.

Police have been then notified at 8.15am and the van was stopped on Higher Richmond Street close to to the junction of Carlton Street at 8.37am.

Strapping was discovered on the underside of the lorry, with officers suggesting Khalife held on to the underside of the car to flee.

Khalife was final seen sporting a white t-shirt, red-and-white chequered trousers and brown metal toe cap boots.

How was he discovered?

A nationwide search was launched on Wednesday for Khalife, involving greater than 150 of the Met’s counter terrorism officers and employees, earlier than his arrest on Saturday.

The Met mentioned they acquired greater than 100 calls from the general public.

Police scoured Richmond Park in south-west London on Thursday night time and into Friday.

On Saturday, the Met moved the search to the Chiswick space following in a single day sightings.

Khalife was arrested by a plain garments officer at 10.41am in Rowdell Street on the canal towpath whereas he was driving a pushbike.

Commander Dominic Murphy, the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism chief, mentioned Daniel Khalife was pulled off a motorcycle by the officer that arrested him.

“Upon being detained by the officer he was absolutely co-operative and handcuffed and arrested,” he added.

He’s now being held in police custody.

The Met mentioned: “We want to thank the general public and media for his or her help all through our investigation to find Khalife and we are going to present an extra replace on his arrest sooner or later.”

Chiswick resident Brenda MacDonald mentioned she had seen “a great deal of vans” and helicopters as police searched the realm.

The 78-year-old instructed the PA information company: “I guessed it was one thing to do with (Khalife) due to him touchdown in Wandsworth. It’s not far to get right here.

“They’ve to catch him as a result of it was foolish sufficient that they let him get out.”

Ports and airports had been positioned on alert. They have been requested to hold out further safety measures, leading to delays being reported throughout the UK, together with at Heathrow airport, Manchester airport, and the Port of Dover.

‘Extraordinarily regarding’ escape sparks probe

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk mentioned round 40 Class B inmates at Wandsworth jail have been moved out amid an investigation into how Khalife escaped.

He added: “Extra sources have in fact gone into Wandsworth, so there’s further governor help, a former governor with explicit experience in safety.”

Mr Chalk mentioned an investigation has advised that HMP Wandsworth did have the proper safety protocols and employees in place on the time of the escape.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley on Friday advised police are investigating whether or not Khalife’s escape was aided by somebody, or folks from contained in the jail.

He described the incident as “clearly pre-planned” and “extraordinarily regarding”.

Requested if the Met is trying into the likelihood it was an “inside job”, Sir Mark mentioned: “It’s a query. Did anybody contained in the jail assist him? Different prisoners, guard employees? Was he helped by folks exterior the partitions or was it merely all of his personal creation?”

Labour has demanded the Authorities explains how the escape may have occurred.

A authorities minister on Thursday confirmed an investigation has been launched into how Khalife escaped and why he was not being held in a better safety facility.

Wandsworth jail’s efficiency was rated a “critical concern” and watchdogs had issued a string of warnings in regards to the jail prior to now yr earlier than Khalife escaped.

The Victorian jail holds about 1,600 defendants showing at London courts and offenders attributable to be launched, in 5 wings.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor mentioned “in a really perfect world” the jail can be shut, however “there are solely simply sufficient prisons” for the inhabitants of inmates.

Mr Taylor instructed Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge on Sky Information: “Once you discover a jail like Wandsworth, it actually wants closing. In the end, it’s not an acceptable jail.”