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British police launched a manhunt Wednesday after a former soldier accused of planting fake bombs on a military base staged a rare escape from a London jail.
Daniel Abed Khalife, 21, is facing trial on terrorism charges after he allegedly placed fake bombs on the military base in Stafford, England, where he was stationed.
Police appealed for information and began an intensive nationwide search — but said he did not pose an imminent threat. Extra security measures at airports, including London’s Heathrow, led to delays.
Cmdr. Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s counterterrorism command, told reporters that Khalife escaped Wednesday morning, wearing a prison kitchen uniform. The BBC reported, without indicating a source, that he may have strapped himself to the bottom of a delivery van.
Khalife has been charged, according to court documents reported by the Guardian, with a terror offense for eliciting or trying to elicit information on members of the British forces “which was of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism,” and for a “bomb hoax” in January.
Authorities expressed concerns that he could try to leave the country. In addition to airport delays, the Port of Dover, east of London, announced enhanced checks “due to a police matter.”
Heathrow is operating as normal. However, due to additional security checks being carried out, waiting times for departing passengers may be longer than usual. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/NX2Hi2Q8jF
— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) September 6, 2023
Khalife has links to Kingston, southwest of London, according to a Metropolitan Police statement, and could have remained in London but “may have travelled further afield.”
“I also want to reassure the public that we have no information which indicates, nor any reason to believe that Khalife poses a threat to the wider public,” Murphy said. “But our advice if you do see him is not to approach him.”
