Daniel Abed Khalife: Terror suspect escaped Wandsworth prison ‘clinging to food van’

HMP Wandsworth has five wing units leading to a central hub with courtyards and other buildings around the outside.

It is a category B prison, the second highest level of security.

Justice secretary Alex Chalk has held an urgent call with the prison governor and senior staff in the prison service to seek assurances about what is being done to ensure the jail is secure.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “We are working with the Metropolitan Police to recapture this prisoner and are urgently investigating how he escaped.”

Daniel Abed Khalife, 21, was awaiting trial at HMP Wandsworth when he escaped on Wednesday.

The former soldier is accused of leaving fake bombs at the Beacon Barracks base, otherwise known as MOD Stafford, where he left on January 2 after the alleged hoax. He was arrested on January 26.

As of Wednesday, he was awaiting trial in relation to terrorism and Official Secrets Act offences.

He is 6ft 2ins tall and was last seen wearing a prison-issue chef’s uniform of a white t-shirt, red and white chequered trousers and brown steel toe cap boots, having been working in the kitchen.

Police have said he has links to Kingston upon Thames but also the north west of England.

Additional security measures are in place at all UK airports and ports – including Gatwick.

The London airport has said “safety and security” is its number one concern.

A London Gatwick spokesperson said: “Additional security measures are currently in place at London Gatwick and other UK airports and ports.

“The safety and security of passengers is our number one priority.”

There have been only five prison escapes since 2017, Home Office data has said, and fewer than 20 since 2010.

A 1994 incident involving IRA prisoners breaking out of Whitemoor prison was the last incident to involve terroism inmates.

Wandsworth Prison, from which Khalife escaped, was put on lockdown in the hours after the event but those restrictions have now been lifted.

An escape was previously reported from Wandsworth in 2019.

Enhanced checks are currently being enforced in Dover and other UK ports as a result of the manhunt.

The Port of Dover tweeted to say that these measures could result in delays in getting to the port.

“Our standard travel guidance remains unchanged,” a message read.

The Ministry of Defence has said that Khalife was discharged from the Army in May this year.

A spokesperson said the 21-year-old was a “former soldier” and was charged with terrorism and other offences.

The statement added: “As a result of being held on remand for these charges, Daniel Khalife was discharged from the Army on 22 May 2023.”

Khalife has been accused of a criminal offence relating to the alleged bomb hoax.

It is claimed that the serviceman 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”.

A trial date has been set for November 13 at Woolwich Crown Court.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk is due to speak to the governor of HMP Wandsworth and senior prison bosses after a suspected terrorist soldier went on the run from the jail sparking an urgent police hunt, the PA news agency understands.

The south-west London prison was put on lockdown on Wednesday morning after Daniel Abed Khalife escaped but restrictions have now been lifted.

It is understood the 21-year-old had been working in the kitchen and was wearing a chef’s uniform.

He is thought to have snuck out of the kitchen and clung onto the bottom of a delivery van to make his escape.

Daniel Khalife is believed to have escaped from the Category B prison “under a food truck”.

He is alleged to have used straps to hold on to the bottom as the vehicle exited the prison.

Labour demanded that the Government “urgently” explains how terror suspect Daniel Abed Khalife managed to escape HMP Wandsworth.

Newly-appointed shadow justice secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “The Conservatives need to urgently explain how they can’t do the basic job of keeping potentially dangerous criminals locked up.

“It’s right that the police are given space to recapture this suspect. But Rishi Sunak needs to ensure there is no wider risk because his zombie Government lacks grip on the criminal justice system.”