Daniel Khalife trial - live: Ex-soldier accused of escaping prison wanted to be MI6 ‘double agent’ for Iran

The 23-year-old had made contact with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard while working for the British Army

Former soldier Daniel Khalife is charged with terrorism and espionage offences as well as with escaping from custody (Metropolitan Police/PA) (PA Media)

A former British soldier accused of escaping from Wandsworth prison made contact with Iranian security forces before contacting MI6 to say he wanted to work as a “double agent”, his trial has heard.

Daniel Khalife, 23, allegedly used his position in the Royal Corps of Signals, which granted him security clearance, to collect secret information that might be useful to an enemy of the UK.

However, in 2019 he made contact with MI6 through their “contact us” page and said he had provided the Iranian government with a fake document which he had left in a dog waste bag in Mill Hill Park.

He claimed that while he had made contact with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, he had intended to sell himself to the UK security agencies, the jury was told.

After police caught up with him and he had been released on bail, Khalife absconded from his barracks, leaving cannisters and wires on his desk intended to look like an explosive device.

He is alleged to have later escaped from HMP Wandsworth in south London while on remand by strapping himself to the underside of a food delivery lorry on 6 September 2023.

[9 October 2024 10:59 · Holly Evans]

Courtroom assembles

The courtroom where Daniel Khalife is facing trial at Woolwich Crown Court has now assembled, with the prosecutor Mark Heywood KC due to continue his opening.

The jury and Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb have entered and taken their seats.

[9 October 2024 10:16 · Alex Croft]

Who is Daniel Khalife?

Daniel Khalife, the 23-year-old accused of multiple espionage-related charges and of escaping prison, was raised in Kingston, south London, by his Iranian mother.

He joined the British Army in September 2018 as a junior soldier, two weeks before his 17th birthday, jurors were told.

After completing a 23-week course at the Army Foundation College in North Yorkshire, he chose to join the Royal Corps of Signals which provides communications, IT and cyber support, the court heard.

Khalife passed his security clearance - giving him access to secret information - before he took on specialist training in Dorset in 2019, the court was told.

He may have started thinking about espionage as early as March 2019, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

Khalife completed his year-long specialist training course in early 2020, before he was posted to the 16th Signal Regiment in Stafford, the jury heard.

He is accused of first making contact with Iran in 2019.

Daniel Khalife may have begun to think about espionage as early as March 2019, his trial heard (Elizabeth Cook/PA) (PA Archive)

[9 October 2024 09:44 · Alex Croft]

First day in court brings new detail to light

We heard the first details of Daniel Khalife’s alleged contact with Iranian intelligence in Woolwich Crown Court yesterday.

In January 2022, the former British soldier told police he had made contact with a known individual within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the court heard. He told police that he was transferred to an English speaking handler.

Prosecutor Mark Heywood KC said his aim was to “offer himself as an asset to Iran’s external security apparatus”.

“The prosecution case is that he began a process of obtaining, recording and communicating material, information of a kind that might be or was intended to be useful to an enemy of the UK,” Mr Heywood added.

But Khalife claimed this was a double-bluff and that his real intention was to sell himself to the UK security agencies, the jury was told.

Khalife used a false name to get in touch with MI6 through the “contact us” page of their website - requesting to work as a “double agent”, the court heard.

He allegedly revealed in the email that he was paid 2,000 US dollars (£1,500) as payment for sending Iran documents - which he says was fake. The money was left in a “dog waste bag” in Mill Hill Park, jurors were told.

Police spoke with Khalife and he was released on bail before he absconded from his barracks, the court heard.

And Khalife is accused of strapping himself to the underside of a food delivery lorry to escape HMP Wandsworth on September 6 2023, while being held on remand on terror and espionage charges.

[9 October 2024 09:26 · Alex Croft]

What is Daniel Khalife accused of?

Daniel Khalife is accused of collecting secret information before handing it to “agents of Iran”.

The 23-year-old is facing four charges at Woolwich Crown Court - all of which he has denied.

He is accused of breaching the Official Secrets Act by gathering, publishing or communicating information potentially useful to an enemy, in this case Iranian intelligence, between May 1 2019 and January 6 2022.

Khalife was also charged under the Terrorism Act of eliciting information about armed forces personnel on August 2 2021, carrying out a bomb hoax on January 2 2023 and escaping from prison on July 21 2023.

He denies all four charges.

[9 October 2024 09:14 · Alex Croft]

Welcome to our live coverage

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the trial of Daniel Khalife - the man who allegedly escaped HMP Wandsworth in September last year - as it enters its second day.

The Independent’s Holly Evans will be reporting live from Woolwich Crown Court as Khalife faces trial for allegedly selling secrets to Iran in breach of the Official Secrets Act, among other terror and espionage charges.

Stay here for regular updates throughout the day.