‘may have used bedsheets to escape prison’, Daniel Khalife appears in court

Terror Suspect’s Escape and Court Appearance

Prison Break Details

Terror suspect Daniel Khalife, aged 21, made his first court appearance amid heightened security. He was arrested on a canal towpath in Northolt, west London, after escaping from HMP Wandsworth.

Khalife’s Background

Daniel Khalife, a former British army soldier, was in custody at HMP Wandsworth while awaiting trial on terrorism charges. His escape is believed to have involved attaching himself to the underside of a food delivery truck that had recently left the prison’s loading bay.

Prosecution’s Account

Prosecutor Thomas Williams outlined the allegations, stating that on September 6, the prison notified the police of Khalife’s disappearance while he was working in the prison kitchen. It is suspected that he used makeshift straps, possibly made from bed sheets, to secure himself to the food delivery truck. He managed to evade authorities when the vehicle was later stopped by the police.

Khalife’s Court Appearance

Khalife, listed in court as having no fixed address, was charged with escaping from prison and appeared in Westminster Magistrates’ Court. During the brief hearing, he stood in the locked dock, flanked by two police officers and a court guard. Three additional police officers were present in the court, with another stationed at the courtroom door. Khalife remained impassive during the hearing, identifying himself and not entering a plea.

Next Legal Steps

Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram remanded Khalife back into custody and sent the case to the Old Bailey, with the next hearing provisionally scheduled for September 29. Additionally, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk ordered an investigation into HMP Wandsworth following Khalife’s escape. In response, dozens of inmates were relocated to another jail for investigation purposes.

Additional Legal Charges

It is noteworthy that Khalife faces terrorism-related charges dating from May 2019 to January 2022, including attempting to elicit information useful for terrorism and breaching the Official Secrets Act. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges and is set to stand trial in November at Woolwich Crown Court.

Security Measures

While Khalife was brought to the central London courthouse in a secure Metropolitan Police van with a convoy of unmarked police cars, Judge Ikram refused a request to handcuff him in the dock, citing the absence of a reason for the extra security measure.