LONDON (AP) — British authorities launched an extensive search operation in Richmond Park on Friday for a former soldier who managed to break free from prison while awaiting trial on terrorism charges.
The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that the sweeping search of Richmond Park, situated in the southwest of the city, involved the deployment of two helicopters and officers on the ground. This operation is directly linked to the pursuit of Daniel Abed Khalife, a 21-year-old who escaped from Wandsworth Prison on Wednesday morning while assigned to kitchen duties. Police believe he escaped by clinging to the underside of a food delivery truck.
Khalife faces charges of planting fake explosives at a military facility and violating Britain’s Official Secrets Act by gathering information that could potentially assist an enemy. Earlier this year, he was discharged from the British army in connection with his arrest, and he has consistently denied the allegations. His trial is scheduled for November.
In response to Khalife’s escape, enhanced security measures have been implemented at airports and the Port of Dover, which serves as the primary ferry route between England and France. However, the primary focus of the search operation remains Richmond Park, a sprawling expanse of 2,500 acres (1,000 hectares) comprising woodlands and grasslands, located approximately 5 miles (8 kilometers) from Wandsworth Prison. The park is inhabited by more than 630 red and fallow deer, which have roamed freely since 1637.
Dominic Murphy, the Metropolitan Police counterterrorism commander, reported that there have been no confirmed sightings of Khalife following his escape and emphasized Khalife’s resourcefulness, given his military training.
“He was a trained soldier — so ultimately he has skills that perhaps some members of the public do not possess,” Murphy stated.
In response to Khalife’s escape, opposition politicians have called for an explanation regarding how he managed to break out of the medium-security prison and why he was not held in a maximum-security facility. The Conservative government has announced an independent investigation into the matter.
Mark Rowley, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, characterized the prison escape as “clearly pre-planned” and potentially involving collusion from within the prison.
He stated on LBC radio, “Did anyone inside the prison help him? Other inmates, prison staff? Was he aided by individuals outside the prison walls, or did he carry out the escape entirely on his own?”
Source: with agencies