An urgent manhunt has begun after a 21-year-old former British Army soldier who is accused of planting fake bombs at a military base escaped HMP Wansworth.
Daniel Abed Khalife was awaiting trial in relation to terrorism and Official Secrets Act offences when he fled the category B South London prison at around 7.50am today.
He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, red and white chequered trousers and brown steel toe cap boots, the Metropolitan Police said.
The force believes Khalife is likely to still be in the London area, though there is a chance he may have travelled further afield.
Police at ports and airports across the country have been asked to keep an eye out for the escapee, with the Met saying an ‘alert was issued by the Counter Terrorism Command earlier today’.
Khalife, formerly of Beacon Barracks, Beaconside, Stafford, appeared at the Old Bailey in late July where he denied the charges he is facing.
He is accused of eliciting or trying to elicit information that could be useful for a terrorist on August 2 2021, and breaching the Official Secrets Act by gathering information that could be useful to an enemy between May 1 2019 and January 6 2022.
It is claimed that he placed ‘three cannisters with wires on a desk in his accommodation’ with the intention of inducing in another a belief this was ‘likely to explode or ignite and thereby cause personal injury or damage to property’.
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed he was discharged from the Army on May 22.
More: Crime news
Officers have reassured the public that there is no reason to believe he poses a threat to them.
They have urged people who may have helpful information, even if it doesn’t relate to a live sighting, to get in touch and quote the reference number CAD 1631/06SEP23.
Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, 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 or the 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.’
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