Daniel Khalife

[CabalofBolorneaise]

His name seems to indicate Arabic rather than Iranian heritage. I wonder if he was caught in a sting operation where he was trying to sell to a high bidder and "Iran" was a taker rather than any direct link with Iran? Pure speculation on my part though, it goes without saying. But very interesting points throughout this thread.

Yeah, that would make a lot of sense! The coverage I saw suggested that if he approached Iran without a link then they’d be more inclined to think he was a double agent of some sort but I suppose it hasn’t said anywhere that he got anywhere with spying for them, maybe he was just trying to sell info to them.

 

[gigilouxx]

Plus who says he was gonna get that long anyway
I don’t think he’s some mastermind being funded by Iran

 

[Officedoor123]

Not this guy being thirsted over now too

He really did look like Daniel khalife though

 

[yessenia_d]

The indépendant suggests his father is Iranian;

All we know about Daniel Khalife - Royal Signals soldier on the run from prison

Military computer engineer at large after escaping Wandsworth prison by clinging to food delivery van

www.independent.co.uk

"Khalif, a British citizen whose father is said to be Iranian, allegedly attempted to pass on the information to a foreign power, believed to be Iran, security sources told The Independent. They allege that he sought to “graduate” into spying with the material he had obtained from the MoD."

but BBC News says Lebanese heritage on his fathers side.

Who is Daniel Khalife? Profile of prisoner who escaped

BBC News speaks to people who knew terror suspect Daniel Khalife as he grew up in London.

www.bbc.com

"He is British and has Lebanese heritage on his father's side. His parents split up when he was young."

Well, no wonder they're having difficulty tracking him down: he seems to be everything to everyone!

In all seriousness, it is odd that two separate news sources, who you imagine have fact checkers, have two such different backgrounds listed.

 

[hogwartsgraduate]

I'd say he's overseas now too, wouldn't take much to get over from a small ferry port, the odd helicopter and country road - especially with help

 

[BigMavis]

If he's a spy they might want him back. Inside job, spooks.

 

[Ubu1uk]

I want to know how long it was before they even knew he had gone? The reports imply it was almost immediately but I am sure that is just PR spin. Also did he really strap himself to the underside of the lorry or was that a red herring?

 

[AshMay]

Not this guy being thirsted over now too

 

[kev1974]

UK escapee gets 15mins away from the prison, rides a bike, shops at Waitrose and sleeps on a bench.
USA escapee hides out for days, steals a car, breaks into someone’s home gets shot at but not hit, ends up stealing the gun used against him. Still on the run now with a gun with bullets.

Yea I don't think they're going to need Harrison Ford for the dramatisation after all

 

[Beckyboo85]

Confirmed sighting on Wednesday hopefully they have more to go on!

 

[LadyLockdown]

What's the reporting like in Iran?

I'm going to hazard a guess that it's probably not terribly reliable. I think the main channels are state owned so anything that doesn't suit their narrative will likely be censored.

 

[BigMavis]

How long was his original sentence? I wonder how much longer his sentence is going to be after this

Unbelievably sometimes there are no changes to the sentence, sometimes they fine them.

 

[UsedWeddingDress]

I'm thinking if he was as "highly trained" as the media were making out then surely he would have left the London area.

 

[MrsNorthernGrinch]

I thought bbc initially said it was 20 minutes before they realised he had gone


The bbc article I read said they did use them in the supposed sterile area between the two entrance gates so either not done properly by someone slacking or not done by an assistant who knew the plan and pretended not to see him there

Yea I'd read vehicle was meant to be checked above and underneath before taken off but this had not been done - possibly due to staffing issues.


Also thanks for making this thread.

 

[Its_Me]

Catching up but the early questions about why all the interest, I heard that he was on remand for offences relating to the official secrets act too. The idea he is a spy, is I think a solid one. In which case he will be long gone. he will have been over the border and out of the country by lunchtime on Wednesday. no way is he hanging around in Kingston, less than ten miles down the road

I think if he really was selling information that was actually bought by Iran and he was an actual spy he would have been in a more secure prison and definitely not working as a chef. Unless they didn’t actually know the extent of it but from what we do know I’m leaning more towards he was a bit of a fantasist.

The Chiswick search is following confirmed sightings overnight.

 

[BigMavis]

3.5 miles from the roundabout where he was seen, 6’2 young man could run that in 20 minutes or picked up close by and zipped over the bridge. As you say, twitter, but possible.

If there's any truth in it, that'll be the embassy expelled. Think that was on the cards anyway.

 

[BigMavis]

That's what the suggestion on Jeremy Vine today. Apparently the terrorism charges he was facing were for collecting data that could have been useful to Iran so they were posturing that he could have the support from the Iranian government in his escape.

Interesting. It'll be UK intelligence too.

 

[emmer_moans]

I’m astounded this was possible to happen, in London where CCTV is everywhere.

I just hope he doesn’t get to commit any acts whilst they are looking for him. If he was helped then there could be a whole network of help for him. He could be absolutely anywhere in the country, or even smuggled abroad.

 

[gigilouxx]

This is such an odd case. I think he’s probably left the country now

 

[neroli]

He wants his place in the Jungle..