Police search continues as relative urges Daniel Khalife to ‘give himself up’
P
olice are persevering with their seek for on-the-run terror suspect Daniel Khalife because the 21-year-old’s household urged him to “give himself up”.
The former soldier is believed to have escaped from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday morning by strapping himself to the underside of a supply lorry after leaving the jail kitchen in a cook dinner’s uniform.
Commander Dominic Murphy, the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism chief, stated the pressure is investigating after a member of the general public noticed a person becoming Khalife’s description strolling away from a Bidfood van that had stopped close to the south entrance to Wandsworth Roundabout shortly after his escape.
Police stated the person was then seen strolling in the direction of Wandsworth city centre.
Mr Murphy stated: “This remains a fast-paced and dynamic investigation, but I want the public to know that a large number of officers are working extremely hard to locate Khalife.
“We have now received more than 100 calls from the public, and we thank everyone who has contacted us with information.
“The sighting near Wandsworth Roundabout could be very significant, and this is one of many useful lines of inquiry that officers are perusing.”
Mr Murphy urged Khalife at hand himself in to police, warning officers have been “closing in” on the fear suspect.
The pressure is providing a £20,000 reward for anybody with data that results in the arrest of the previous soldier, 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.
He was discharged from the Army in May.
Speaking to The Times, a detailed relative of Khalife stated he was a “very, very intelligent, easygoing and kind boy” who had modified in recent times – even going lacking within the weeks earlier than he was charged.
They informed the paper: “If I could talk to him, I would tell him to end this and give himself up, even though I understand he is afraid.
“Two years ago he was quite happy; he said he never wanted to leave, he said they were good people, and then something happened last year.
“He was scared to talk about it, and so he ran away. I don’t believe the allegations, he spent four years in the Army.
“It is just silly to imagine he would betray them.”
The relative additionally questioned the Army’s attainable position in what could have occurred to Khalife, telling the paper the Army “has to answer for what happened”.
Video footage obtained by the PA news company exhibits cops looking out a Bidfood lorry with a sniffer canine after it was stopped as witnesses informed of their shock as they discovered concerning the incident.
Speaking on LBC on Friday, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley stated Khalife’s escape was “clearly pre-planned” and “it is a question” whether or not it was an inside job.
Speaking to broadcasters in New Delhi, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wouldn’t touch upon strategies there could possibly be international state involvement within the escape.
The relative stated Khalife had solely visited Iran twice when he was younger, telling The Times: “Danny doesn’t know Iran, he loves this country.”
Khalife’s disappearance has prompted questions over staffing ranges on the Victorian jail and whether or not he ought to have been in the next safety jail.
Strapping was discovered beneath the supply lorry which police stopped simply over an hour after it left the jail at 7.32am, with officers suggesting Khalife held on to the underside of the car to flee.
Police haven’t dominated out the chance he could have managed to flee the nation regardless of heightened border checks.
Khalife was declared lacking at 7.50am, with police notified at 8.15am. The lorry was stopped on Upper Richmond Road, close 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.
Justice Secretary Alex Chalk confirmed an impartial investigation will happen after Khalife’s escape, alongside two pressing evaluations wanting on the categorisation and placement of all HMP Wandsworth prisoners and all these in custody charged with terrorism offences.
The former soldier, who denied the three prices in opposition to him, is described as slim, 6ft 2in, with brief brown hair.
Khalife has hyperlinks to the West Midlands – having been stationed on the Ministry of Defence’s Beacon Barracks in Stafford – and Kingston upon Thames in south-west London, however Mr Murphy stated the hunt is overlaying the entire of the UK.
Kent Police stated on Friday night that junctions eight and 9 of the M20 had reopened after being briefly shut on Thursday as a result of enhanced safety checks concerned with the seek for Khalife.
Police have stated there isn’t any motive to consider Khalife poses a risk to the general public however urged folks to not strategy him in the event that they spot him and to name 999.