10 September 2023 , 07:36
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Elite soldiers from the SAS were brought in to hunt down on-the-run fugitive Daniel Khalife.
The 21-year-old is back behind bars after being captured at 10.41am by a lone police officer who pulled him off a bicycle on a canal towpath in Northolt, North West London. The escaped prisoner was clutching his belongings in a Waitrose carrier bag and 'smiled' as he was handcuffed with a cable tie before dozen of vehicles had descended on the scene.
The SAS - one of the world’s elite special forces that specialises in hostage rescue and counter-terrorism - were summoned from their Hereford HQ to barracks in Richmond to track former soldier Khalif. He was caught by police on Saturday 14 miles from HMP Wandsworth wearing a white T-shirt and dark shorts, and had boasted about his plan to flee jail, bragging in front of wardens.
Daniel Abed Khalife managed to escape from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday (AP)
The terror suspect had made no secret of his desire to break out (Sky News)Khalife, from Teddington, South West London, is likely to face further charges on top of existing terror and spying allegations in the wake of his prison escape.
Student Ethan Andrews, 20, stumbled across the drama. He said: “I was crossing over the bridge and saw this man with cable ties around his hands. “One of the cops said, ‘We’re undercover officers.’ The guy had been on a bike and had a sleeping bag – he seemed to have a change of clothes. The three officers had him on the floor and then five minutes later there were loads more police on the scene.”
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Khalife was eventually captured in Northolt (Stan Kujawa)Khalife had been held on remand in Wandsworth accused of terror and spying offences. The inmate who served time alongside Khalife told the Mirror: “He always used to brag about escaping from prison. He used to say ‘Just watch me!’ It was an open secret because he was so blatant about it. I’m surprised none of the guards reported him. Someone is going to get it in the neck for this."
Prison chef Khalife is believed to have trapped himself to the bottom of a food lorry during a jail delivery. His escape sparked a nationwide manhunt with motorways and airports put on high alert. The net closed on Friday night as sightings were reported in Chiswick, a leafy neighbourhood six miles from the jail.
Fugitive terror suspect Daniel Khalife was captured by undercover police near Greenford Canal (SplashNews.com)Steve Gillan, chair of the Prison Officers Association, said Wandsworth has 1,600 inmates – yet its theoretical capacity is just 900. He said: “This should be the trigger for a royal commission into how not just prisons are run but the whole criminal justice system. The Government needs a wake-up call.”
Shadow Chancellor Yvette Cooper praised police for arresting Khalife but also raised concerns around lax security. She added: “Now we need answers about how on earth a prisoner charged with terror and national security offences could have escaped in this way.”
The Ministry of Justice said that it was investigating the circumstances around Khalife’s escape.