A man from Chingford, East London, has denied charges related to assisting Daniel Khalife, a former soldier who escaped from HMP Wandsworth in 2023.
Imran Chowdhury, aged 25, appeared in Westminster Magistrates’ Court where he pled not guilty to the accusation.
He is alleged to have helped Khalife following his escape in September 2023.
Chowdhury was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in January 2024, and later charged via post in December.
At his court appearance, he confirmed his name, address, and date of birth.
Dressed in a white shirt and black jumper, Chowdhury was informed by District Judge Briony Clark that the charge is too serious for a magistrates’ court to handle.
As a result, he was directed to attend a hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court on February 4.
Chowdhury was granted bail, with the condition that he live at his home address in Parade Gardens, Chingford.
The Woman’s Arrest and Khalife’s Trial
In an unexpected development, the police confirmed that no further action would be taken against a 25-year-old woman who had been arrested in February 2024.
She had also been suspected of assisting the offender but was later released.
As for Khalife, the former soldier, his fate took a dramatic turn in November 2024 when he was found guilty of spying for Iran.
He was charged with breaching the Official Secrets and Terrorism Acts after a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.
Khalife, 23, had been serving time for espionage when he admitted to escaping from Wandsworth Prison.
His escape set off a nationwide manhunt that lasted for days.
Khalife’s Notorious Escape from Prison
Khalife’s escape was nothing short of audacious.
While working in the prison kitchen, he used prison trousers to tie himself to the underside of a food truck.
In a major security failure, prison officers allowed the lorry to leave the facility, despite an alarm being raised about the missing prisoner.
CCTV footage later revealed an officer casually waving off the truck’s driver at 7:32 AM.
It wasn’t until the truck stopped on a dual carriageway just a mile away that Khalife managed to slip out from under the vehicle and disappear.
His freedom lasted for four days before he was eventually captured on a canal towpath, just a few miles from the prison.
The Soldier’s Backstory
Khalife’s journey into espionage began long before his prison escape.
He joined the Army at the age of 16, but his aspirations to serve in military intelligence were dashed when he was told his Iranian heritage would prevent him from gaining the necessary security clearance.
Disappointed, he turned to spying, passing secrets to Iranian agents soon after.
By the time he was 19, Khalife had attained NATO-level security clearance, one of the highest available, which granted him access to classified material.
His actions ultimately led to his arrest and the charges of espionage, which would shape his future.
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