Prison escapee convicted of passing UK military secrets to Iran

While Khalife claimed most information he shared was fabricated or publicly available, prosecutors used evidence from his phones, notes, and surveillance footage to prove he had gathered and shared real classified information.

By Jewish Breaking News

A former British soldier who made headlines with a daring escape from a London prison was convicted Thursday of spying for Iran.

Daniel Khalife, 23, was found guilty by a jury in Woolwich Crown Court of violating Britain’s Official Secrets Act and Terrorism Act.

The 23-year-old joined the Army at 16, serving in the Royal Corps of Signals, a communications unit working with battlefield troops and special forces.

He received NATO secret security clearance during a joint exercise at Fort Cavazos in Texas in early 2021, during which time he shared intelligence information with his Iranian handlers.

British security only learned of his Iranian contacts after he approached MI6, anonymously offering to work as a double agent. He claimed he had earned his handlers’ trust and received $2,000 in a dog poo bag in a north London park.

While Khalife claimed most information he shared was fabricated or publicly available, prosecutors used evidence from his phones, notes, and surveillance footage to prove he had gathered and shared real classified information. They also showed he traveled to Turkey to meet a contact.

In his testimony, Khalife said he had contacted people in the Iranian government after he got the idea from watching “Homeland,” a Showtime television drama about CIA operations and espionage.

His defense lawyer, Gul Nawaz Hussein, characterized Khalife’s James Bond aspirations as naive and stupid, bordering on slapstick. He said his client was more “Scooby Doo” than “007.”

Despite the seemingly amateur nature of his actions, Counter Terrorism Commander Dominic Murphy of the Metropolitan Police stressed Khalife’s dangerousness.

“We know very well the threat that Iranians pose to the U.K.’s national security,” Murphy said. “He’s the ultimate Walter Mitty character who was having a significant impact in the real world.”

The case gained widespread attention after Khalife’s September 2023 prison break, when he escaped from Wandsworth Prison by strapping himself under a delivery truck. After a massive three-day search, authorities caught him on a canal path.

His escape exposed broader issues in Britain’s aging, overcrowded prison system, prompting an ongoing inquiry into how he managed to escape and whether he had help.

Though Khalife owned up to his prison break during the proceedings, his denials of espionage fell flat with the jury.

“He surreptitiously sought out and obtained copies of secret and sensitive information which he knew were protected and passed these on to individuals he believed to be acting on behalf of the Iranian state,” said Bethan David of the Crown Prosecution Service.

“The sharing of the information could have exposed military personnel to serious harm, or a risk to life, and prejudiced the safety and security of the United Kingdom.”