UK police catch terrorism suspect who escaped from a London prison

British police say they have captured a former soldier who escaped from prison while awaiting trial on terrorism charges

Britain Prisoner Escapes (Metropolitan Police/AP)

A former soldier who escaped from a London prison while awaiting trial on terrorism charges was captured Saturday, police said.

Daniel Abed Khalife was on the run four days before a massive search managed to nab him in the Chiswick, west of London.

Khalife escaped on the bottom of a food delivery truck from Wandsworth Prison on Wednesday. The breakout ignited a storm of criticism as political opponents blamed the ruling Conservative party for incompetence.

Khalife, 21, is accused of planting fake bombs at a military base and of violating Britain’s Official Secrets Act by gathering information “that could be useful to an enemy.” He was discharged from the British army after his arrest earlier this year and had denied the allegations. His trial is set for November.

London counter-terror police had offered a 20,000 pound ($25,000) reward for information leading to his arrest.