Daniel Abed Khalife: No confirmed sightings of Wandsworth prison fugitive despite dozens of calls from public
There have been no confirmed sightings of fugitive Daniel Abed Khalife since he escaped Wandsworth prison despite receiving more than 50 calls from the public.
The 21-year-old former soldier was working in the kitchen and wearing a chef’s uniform when he broke out of the Category B prison by holding on to straps underneath a food truck to make his getaway.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said the Bidfood delivery vehicle was stopped by police an hour and five minutes after it left the prison around 2.6 miles away at the junction of Upper Richmond Road with Carlton Drive, near East Putney station.
Police have said it is possible the terror suspect has already left the country but more than 150 counterterrorism officers and staff are focusing efforts in the Kingston and Staffordshire areas.
Commander Murphy said more than 50 calls have been received from members of the public but there have been no “confirmed sightings” despite it being a busy area of London.
He described the situation as “a little unusual” and “perhaps a testament” to Khalife’s “ingenuity” in his escape and his “movements after”.
“We have some of the best military in the world here in the UK and he was a trained soldier,” he said.
“So ultimately he has skills for perhaps some sessions of the public don’t have that I am really keen that we are using everything at our means to find him.”
Police revealed details of the route taken by the van, which left Wandsworth prison at 7.32am on Wednesday before he was declared missing at 7.50am.
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The Met was notified at 8.15am and stopped the van at 08.37am, by which time it was returning to the prison after the owner alerted the driver.
Officers found no trace of Khalife but discovered the strapping he used to cling on to the vehicle.
Commander Murphy described him as a “very resourceful individual” and said his escape “clearly” took some planning.
Officers are investigating whether he had any help. No arrests have been made.
Khalife, a former member of the Royal Signals who was based at Beacon Barracks in Stafford, was on remand awaiting trial accused of leaving fake bombs at a military base, a charge under the Terrorism Act and another under the Official Secrets Act.
His disappearance has prompted extra security checks at major UK airports and ports including Manchester, Gatwick, Heathrow and Dover.