Waltham Forest (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The 30-year-old Waltham Forest, East London resident Adeel Khan is charged with aiding Daniel Khalife in his escape from HMP Wandsworth.
Another man has been accused of aiding Daniel Khalife, a former soldier who broke out of prison.
After Khalife escaped from HMP Wandsworth (His Majesty’s Prison) in September 2023 by hanging himself to the bottom of a food delivery truck with a sling constructed of prison trousers and hangers.
Adeel Khan, 30, of Waltham Forest, East London, is accused of aiding Khalife.
Khalife used prison pants to strap himself to a car and flee the scene, spending four days on the run.
When he was found riding a stolen mountain bike on the canal towpath in Northolt, west London, around 14 miles from Wandsworth Prison, three days after a nationwide search, he was taken into custody by authorities.
According to the Metropolitan Police, Khan is also accused of having a phone while imprisoned.
He is scheduled to show up at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday after being accused by postal request early this month.
On what grounds was Daniel Khalife found guilty?
Following a trial in November 2024, Khalife, then 23 years old, was convicted of spying for Iran.
Soon after enlisting in the Army at the age of 16, Khalife made his initial contact with an Iranian spy, claiming that he “thought he could be James Bond” and intended to be a “double agent,” but that he had merely provided false or pointless details.
At Woolwich Crown Court, jurors concluded that he had violated the Terrorism and Official Secrets Acts.
Although he was found not guilty of arranging a bomb hoax at the Army barracks where he had been stationed, he had previously acknowledged fleeing from Wandsworth Prison.
Daniel Khalife had been found in Chiswick and apprehended by police. Martin Daubney here on GB News #GBNews making an absolute horlicks of this important breaking news. It's like a parody of amateur it's that bad! pic.twitter.com/5AgCIKfmXV
— 💙 Phil Jones 🍊 (@PhilJonesy3) September 9, 2023
Who was the first man who aided Daniel Khalife?
The first defendant to be accused of helping Daniel Khalife when he escaped from HMP Wandsworth is Imran Chowdhury, who is 25 years old and lives in Chingford. He is alleged to have helped Khalife by taking him to an ATM at which Khalife allegedly withdrew £400 during his time as a fugitive.
Imran Chowdhury denied one count of aiding an escaped prisoner when he appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on January 7, 2025.
During the brief hearing, the accused responded to verify his identity, address, and birthdate. In the dock, he was dressed in a black jumper and white shirt. The 25-year-old was informed by District Judge Briony Clarke that the case involving him is too severe to be handled in a magistrates’ court.
He was granted bail so that he could show up at Snaresbrook Crown Court on February 4, 2025.
Why did Daniel Khalife try to escape from the HM Wandsworth prison?
On September 6, 2023, former soldier Daniel Khalife escaped from Wandsworth Prison, mostly to be transferred to a high-security unit (HSU) at HMP Belmarsh. During the trial, Khalife argued that he felt safer in Belmarsh than from what he termed “terrorists” and “sex offenders” in Wandsworth.
He had attempted a false break on 21st August 2023 and hoped for his transfer to HSU. As prison authorities failed to make any moves, he concluded that he needed an actual break.
He had been testing the prison’s security systems before he escaped, so his actions were not accidental. After his escape, Daniel Khalife contacted his Iranian handlers and purchased provisions and a cell phone using money withdrawn from an ATM. Finally, he was taken into custody again on September 9, 2023.
Why did police officials face criticism regarding Khalife’s escape?
Right away, prison officials were criticized for what seemed like security lapses that allowed Khalife to escape. Reports say it took almost an hour for staff to notice he was missing and another twenty-five minutes before the police were alerted.
This delay raised grave questions about the efficiency of the security procedures in Wandsworth, particularly the ones regarding car checks before leaving.
Moreover, the overall situation in Wandsworth has been termed as chaotic and under-staffed; in fact, it was pointed out that there were even issues of overcrowding and lack of proper training among officers.
On that day when Khalife escaped 80 prison officers were absent and this further escalated the already deficient staffing and made the place largely unattended by the supervising officers.
Following these incidents, the administration has been under political pressure to address structural problems in the prison system, such as requests for more funds and personnel to strengthen security and guarantee that dangerous prisoners are properly watched.
What other prison escapes like Khalife’s case have occurred recently?
In November 2012, Matthew Baker and James Whitlock used diamond-tipped cutting tools to break through cell bars and scale the walls of Pentonville Prison. Their escape brought to light flaws in jail security procedures.
In June 2012, John Massey, who was sentenced to life in prison for murder, escaped from Pentonville Prison while dressed in a disguise in the gym, climbing the roof. He was caught after 48 hours.
On September 25, 1983, 38 IRA prisoners escaped out of the Maze jail in Northern Ireland after taking guards hostage, making it one of the most famous escapes ever. The incident, which featured a great deal of violence, was extremely humiliating for the UK government.
Such incidents have called for improvements to prevent future escapes, which are indicative of persistent problems with security protocols and the handling of high-risk convicts within the UK prison system.