Shillong, September 7: A massive manhunt is in progress for a British soldier, Daniel Abed Khalife, who escaped from Wandsworth prison in London while disguised as a chef and clinging onto a delivery van.
As per IANS, Khalife, 21, had been awaiting trial for terrorism-related charges and alleged breaches of the Official Secrets Act. His audacious escape has caused significant disruption, including flight delays and heightened security checks at British ports.
Khalife, a serving member of the British army, is accused of placing fake bombs at a military base, as per British media reports. He vanished shortly before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, prompting an urgent search operation.
Describing Khalife’s disguise, Met Counter Terrorism Commander Dominic Murphy stated, “He was dressed in a chef’s uniform, including red and white trousers, a white t-shirt, and brown shoes.” Reports suggest he escaped by clinging onto a delivery van, but the exact circumstances are being investigated.
The Prison Service is collaborating with the Metropolitan Police to investigate how the escape occurred. Police are appealing to the public for assistance in locating Khalife, who is described as slim, with short brown hair, and standing approximately 6 feet and 2 inches tall.
While the current focus of the investigation is London, authorities have alerted forces across the country, turning this into a nationwide manhunt. Additional security measures have been implemented at airports and ports, causing delays across the UK, including Heathrow Airport, Manchester Airport, and the Port of Dover.
Notably, prison escapes in the UK are rare, with data from the government indicating only one escape across England and Wales in 2021-22 and none in the preceding period. Wandsworth prison, where Khalife escaped from, is a Category B facility, the second-highest security level among four categories, and is one of the largest prisons in Britain, housing over 1,600 inmates.
