On-the-run terror suspect pulled off bike by plain-clothed officer – Met chief
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n-the-run terror suspect Daniel Khalife was caught after being pulled off a push bike by a plain-clothed counter terrorism officer, police have mentioned.
Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism boss Commander Dominic Murphy instructed reporters the 21-year-old former soldier, who escaped HMP Wandsworth 4 days in the past, was arrested on suspicion of being unlawfully at giant and being an escaped prisoner.
He was apprehended simply earlier than 11am on Saturday on a canal towpath in west London and is now in police custody, the power mentioned.
Speaking in regards to the investigation, Mr Murphy mentioned: “It’s been about 75 hours since he went missing from the prison to the point of his arrest. That’s pretty quick given the challenge of trying to find this individual.
“He was arrested yesterday for being unlawfully at large and for being an escaped prisoner.
“In terms of the investigation, it really gathered momentum yesterday afternoon, with a number of calls from the public, but really took a different course last night, when we did an intelligence-led search in the Richmond area in the early hours of this morning.
“Whilst we didn’t find him at that search, while we were at that search, we had a number of calls from the public over the next hour or two, giving us various sightings of him.”
Addressing the arrest, Mr Murphy mentioned after he was pulled off the push bike, Khalife was “fully cooperative and handcuffed and arrested”.
He mentioned: “At 10.41am he was arrested in Rowdell Road in UB5 in London on the canal towpath.
“He was actually arrested by a plain clothes officer… and he was riding a pedal cycle, so a pushbike, at the time, was pulled off that pushbike by that officer and arrested at that location.
“Upon being detained by the officer he was fully co-operative and handcuffed and arrested.”
Questioned on why it took 4 days to finish the search, Mr Murphy mentioned: “This isn’t a TV programme.
“This is a real-life manhunt for somebody who has escaped from prison and he’s quite a resourceful young man.”
He added: “The reality is I was confident we were going to find him and I’m pleased to say we have.”
Mr Murphy mentioned police haven’t had a declare for the £20,000 reward but.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak mentioned he was “very pleased” Khalife has been arrested as he praised efforts by the police and the general public find him.
Officers had been seen checking individuals’s gardens, stopping automobiles, inspecting automotive boots and asking residents for his or her IDs all through the morning.
Mr Murphy mentioned the Met obtained “well over 100 calls” from members of the general public, with the quantity growing “substantially” on Friday night and within the early hours of Saturday.
He described the investigation as “extremely complicated”, with numerous police exercise being led by intelligence.
Detectives imagine the previous soldier escaped from HMP Wandsworth by strapping himself to the underside of a supply lorry after leaving the jail kitchen in a cook dinner’s uniform.
It is unclear whether or not he can be taken again to the class B jail or to a higher-security location.
Khalife was awaiting trial after allegedly planting a faux bomb at an RAF base and gathering data that is likely to be helpful to terrorists or enemies of the UK.
Detailing the place Khalife had been noticed, Mr Murphy mentioned the power was knowledgeable of two sightings within the Chiswick space, inflicting them to redeploy sources into the world.
The final confirmed sighting of the suspect was within the Church Street and Chiswick Mall space, he added.
Labour demanded solutions from the Government now that Khalife has been arrested.
Shadow residence secretary Yvette Cooper mentioned: “We need answers about how on earth a prisoner charged with terror and national security offences could have escaped in this way.”