The British government in turmoil after an escape. On Wednesday September 7, an ex-soldier prosecuted for “terrorist” acts escaped from a south London prison. His disappearance was noted long minutes after the departure of a delivery vehicle from Wandsworth prison on Wednesday morning. On Thursday, Rishi Sunak’s government promised the arrest of the fugitive, suspected – according to British media – of spying for Iran.
Daniel Khalife’s escape aboard a delivery truck, without anyone noticing, sparked a nationwide manhunt and sparked shock and questions about the prison system. The 21-year-old is suspected of collecting intelligence that could be used by terrorists or enemies of the UK. “Daniel Khalife will be found and will face justice,” Justice Minister Alex Chalk told MPs.
According to the facts made public by the authorities, the absence of the inmate was reported almost 20 minutes after a vehicle left London’s Wandsworth prison on Wednesday at around 7:30 a.m. (London time) after making a delivery for kitchens. Straps were found under the vehicle, suggesting he had attached himself to it.
Despite an escape which took place in the middle of London, no reports were recorded on Thursday evening, said the capital’s police. More than 150 agents are dedicated to the investigation, in addition to putting all the country’s forces on alert.
For fear of seeing the fugitive leave the country, security was reinforced at airports and ports, leading to the temporary closure of exits from the motorway in the south-east of England which leads to the cross-Channel port of Dover, allowing in particular to join France.
Faced with the host of questions raised by this escape, the Minister of Justice announced several investigations into the level of security of this prison and the decision to have Daniel Khalife imprisoned there. Labor MP Rosena Allin-Khan denounced in Parliament the inadequate and dangerous working conditions of prison staff in this establishment, citing insufficient staff. The opposition questions the presence in this reputedly dilapidated prison dating from the 19th century, and not in a high security establishment, of this inmate prosecuted for charges relating to national security.
Daniel Khalife is being prosecuted for acts dating back to January and August 2021, at a Royal Air Force base in Stafford, in central England. He is accused of having obtained or attempted to obtain information “about an individual who was or was a member” of the British army, “likely to be of use to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism” . He is also being prosecuted for a false bomb threat on January 2. He denies the accusations against him.
“It is extremely rare for anyone to escape from prison, but what is more serious is that this is a prisoner accused of a terrorist offence,” the chief inspector of prisons admitted to the BBC Charlie Taylor. He highlighted that Wandsworth Prison was of particular concern due to staff shortages, which reached 30% at the last check two years ago.
Downing Street has rejected any government responsibility for staffing problems, saying it has hired 4,000 people for the prison system since 2017 and is planning 5,000 additional positions, in addition to investment to open 20,000 places for prisoners.
Wandsworth Prison was once the scene of one of the country’s best-known escapes, that of Ronnie Biggs, in 1965, who was serving a 30-year sentence for the attack on the Glasgow-London mail train two years ago previously. After making out with a rope ladder, he lived abroad for 36 years, including in Australia and Brazil, before being arrested in 2001 on his voluntary return to the UK. Released for medical reasons in 2009, he died in 2013.