Daniel Khalife has been sentenced to 14 years and three months in prison after being found guilty of spying for Iran and escaping from Wandsworth Prison while awaiting trial. The former British Army soldier, who joined the military at 16, was convicted under the Official Secrets Act and Terrorism Act for passing sensitive military intelligence to Tehran.
His dramatic prison escape in September 2023 triggered a nationwide manhunt, lasting 75 hours before his recapture in London.
How Khalife Became a Spy for Iran
Soon after enlisting in the Army in 2018, Khalife made contact with Iranian intelligence agents through Facebook. By 2019, he was collecting payments—including a $2,000 cash drop in a dog poo bag—for leaking sensitive UK military information.
Prosecutors revealed that he gathered names of at least 15 soldiers, including members of the special forces, by exploiting a security flaw in the Army’s internal holiday-booking system. He was also found to have stored images of classified military communication systems and IP addresses on his phone.
While Khalife denied sending any useful intelligence, evidence suggested he transmitted at least two classified documents on drones and intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance operations before attempting to delete the data.
Failed Attempt to Be a “Double Agent”
In a bizarre twist, Khalife contacted MI6 in 2019, claiming he had received payments from Iran but had only provided false information. However, he concealed his Army ties, and MI6 ignored him.
During the trial, his defense lawyer described his espionage efforts as “hapless”, comparing them to “Scooby-Doo rather than 007”.
Daring Prison Escape and Nationwide Manhunt
While awaiting trial, Khalife escaped from Wandsworth Prison in September 2023 by strapping himself to the underside of a food delivery truck.
His breakout cost UK authorities over £250,000, with more than 150 officers involved in the search. He was eventually caught three days later while riding a stolen bicycle along a canal towpath in northwest London, just 11 miles from the prison.
While on the run, Khalife attempted to contact Iranian handlers via the encrypted Telegram app, sending a single message: “I wait.” However, he received no response.
UK Security Failings Exposed
Following his escape, an audit of Wandsworth Prison uncovered 81 security failings, including non-functional CCTV cameras that had not worked for over a year. It also emerged that on the day of Khalife’s escape, nearly 40% of prison officers were absent from their shifts.
The Ministry of Justice has since insisted that staffing levels were adequate, though the incident prompted urgent security upgrades across UK prisons.
Judge Labels Khalife a “Dangerous Fool”
During sentencing at Woolwich Crown Court, Mrs. Justice Cheema-Grubb criticized Khalife, stating that he had “the makings of an exemplary soldier” but chose to betray national security.
“You are an attention seeker, and you enjoyed the notoriety you attracted following your escape from prison,” she told him.
UK Intelligence Warns of Foreign Espionage Threat
Following the verdict, Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command, emphasized the serious threat posed by state actors like Iran.
“For a soldier in the British Army to be sharing sensitive military material with Iran is extremely reckless and dangerous,” Murphy stated.
A Betrayal That Shook UK Security
Khalife’s espionage case has exposed serious vulnerabilities in British national security, from military intelligence leaks to prison security failures. With heightened geopolitical tensions, the UK faces an increasing risk of state-backed espionage, making cases like Khalife’s a critical warning for national defense.
