Police conserving ‘open mind’ on whether or not escaped terror suspect has left nation
P
olice have refused to rule out that Daniel Khalife has left the nation, or that he had exterior assist to flee jail, because the seek for the fugitive terror suspect enters its third day.
Former soldier Khalife, who in response to studies is accused of gathering data for Iran, went lacking in his cook dinner’s uniform from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday, prompting additional safety checks at main transport hubs.
Strapping was discovered on the underside of a Bidfood supply car which police stopped simply over an hour after it left the jail, with officers suggesting Khalife held on to the underside of the lorry to flee.
His disappearance has prompted questions over staffing ranges at HMP Wandsworth and why he was being held in a Category B jail.
The Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism commander stated it’s “testament to the ingenuity” of the 21-year-old that there have been no confirmed sightings since he escaped jail.
Dominic Murphy stated he was conserving an “open mind” as as to whether Khalife had acquired help from anyone to flee jail and whether or not he had managed to depart the nation.
He stated greater than 150 investigators and police workers from counter terrorism command working in London on investigation and officers had acquired greater than 50 calls from the general public which had supplied “some really valuable lines of inquiry”.
In a press briefing on Thursday, Mr Murphy stated: “This was a really busy area of London and we’ve had no confirmed sightings in any of that information, which is a little unusual, and perhaps testament to Daniel Khalife’s ingenuity in his escape and some of his movements after his escape.
“He was a trained soldier – so ultimately he has skills that perhaps some sections of the public don’t have.
“He’s a very resourceful individual, clearly, and our experience of him shows that, so nothing is off the table with him at the moment.”
The lorry Khalife is believed to have strapped himself to left HMP Wandsworth at 7.32am on Wednesday. He was declared lacking at 7.50am.
Police have been notified at 8.15am and the lorry was stopped on Upper Richmond Road, close to to the junction of Carlton Drive, at 8.37am.
CCTV footage later emerged of the van driving alongside a highway in London after it had left the jail.
The Justice Secretary confirmed an unbiased investigation will happen following Khalife’s escape.
When you discover a jail like Wandsworth, it actually wants closing. Ultimately, it’s not an appropriate jail
Alex Chalk informed MPs two pressing critiques would additionally happen relating to the categorisation and placement of all HMP Wandsworth prisoners and all these in custody charged with terrorism offences.
Wandsworth jail’s efficiency was rated a “serious concern” and watchdogs had issued a string of warnings concerning the jail up to now yr earlier than Khalife escaped.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor informed the PA news company workers shortages are “the source of many problems” on the jail and later stated that “in an ideal world” Wandsworth could be shut.
Mr Taylor informed Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge on Sky News: “When you find a prison like Wandsworth, it really needs closing. Ultimately, it’s not a suitable prison.”
He added: “You need jails because you need to service the courts. We’ve actually got a crisis at the moment in prisons just in terms of population places.
“So there are only just enough prisons, places available, at the moment for the number of prisoners who are coming in.”
John Podmore, a former governor at HMP Brixton and HMP Belmarsh, informed the BBC Radio 4’s World At One he believed Khalife ought to have been held at most safety Belmarsh, the place terrorist prisoners and people accused of such offences are sometimes detained, moderately than Category B jail Wandsworth.
Mr Podmore stated: “My view is that he should have been at Belmarsh.
“It’s much more suited to the levels of security that someone like this – charged with, not convicted – needs. I can’t understand why he wasn’t at Belmarsh.”
One former inmate at HMP Wandsworth, who labored alongside Khalife within the jail’s kitchens, stated the escapee had struck him as “odd” and had informed him he was “going to be famous”.
Chris Jones, 53, informed BBC London: “”He did look like an odd sausage. One lunchtime he got here in saying that he was going be well-known. I informed him: ‘I think you’ve acquired on the mistaken bus, mate’.”
Mr Jones, who the BBC reported was launched in June after being acquitted after seven months on remand, stated he was “surprised but not surprised” by Khalife’s escape.
He added: “We always used to joke about that lorry; jump in it and drive off, but there was a lot of security staff around the kitchens so it is a surprise he got through there.”
Khalife, who was awaiting trial after allegedly planting a pretend bomb at an RAF base and gathering data that could be helpful to terrorists or enemies of the UK, was discharged from the Army in May 2023.
He has denied the three prices in opposition to him.
He was final seen sporting a white T-shirt, pink and white chequered trousers and brown, metal toe-cap boots, the Metropolitan Police stated. He is described as slim and 6ft 2in, with brief brown hair.
Kent Police stated junctions eight and 9 of the M20 have been quickly shut on Thursday because of the enhanced safety checks – and to permit freight heading for mainland Europe to queue on the empty part of the motorway.
Mr Murphy beforehand stated there was “no reason to believe Khalife poses a threat to the wider public” however urged folks to not strategy him and to name 999 in the event that they noticed him.
Khalife has hyperlinks to the West Midlands and Kingston in London, however Mr Murphy stated the hunt was masking the entire of the UK.
He was beforehand stationed on the Ministry of Defence’s Beacon Barracks in Stafford.
A person was stopped by police at Banbury practice station in Oxfordshire on Thursday however Scotland Yard stated it was not Khalife.