Ex-British Army soldier Daniel Khalife found guilty of spying for Iran

Former worker Daniel Khalife has been recovered blameworthy of breaching the Official Secrets and Terrorism Acts by collecting delicate accusation and passing it to agents of Iran.

The 23-year-old spy, who has already admitted escaping from prison, was cleared astatine Woolwich Crown Court of carrying retired a weaponry hoax.

Prosecutors told his proceedings helium played “a cynical game”, claiming helium wanted a vocation arsenic a treble cause to assistance the British Intelligence Services, erstwhile successful information helium gathered “a precise ample assemblage of restricted and classified material”.

Police described him arsenic the “ultimate Walter Mitty quality that was having a important interaction connected the existent world”.

Khalife created and passed connected fake documents supposedly from MPs, elder subject officials and the information services – but besides sent genuine service documents.

Having reached retired to a “middle-man” by sending him a Facebook message, Khalife told the Iranians helium would enactment undercover successful the British Army for “25-plus years” for them.

He joined the British Army successful 2018 2 weeks earlier his 17th birthday, and served with the Royal Corps of Signals.

In 2021, Khalife secretly gathered the names of serving soldiers, including those successful the peculiar forces.

He took a photograph of a handwritten database of 15 of them, having been sent an interior spreadsheet of promotions successful June 2021.

Ego is simply a factor, I’ve got nary uncertainty he’s got an uncanny quality to manipulate others

Dominic Murphy, Metropolitan Police

Prosecutors judge helium sent the database to Iran earlier deleting immoderate evidence.

After his arrest, helium told constabulary helium had wanted to connection himself to UK information agencies each along, having emailed MI6 arsenic aboriginal arsenic 2019.

Khalife told jurors helium wanted to beryllium bosses incorrect aft being told his Iranian practice could halt him moving successful subject intelligence, and came up with his elaborate treble cause crippled aft watching the TV spy thriller Homeland.

Khalife’s barrister, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, said his treble cause crippled was “hapless” and “sometimes bordering connected the slapstick”, much “Scooby-Doo” than James Bond oregon Homeland.

In September 2023, helium escaped from HMP Wandsworth successful south-west London by clinging to the underside of a nutrient transportation truck.

He made 1 past effort to interaction the Iranians earlier helium was found, sending a Telegram connection which said simply: “I wait.”

Concern helium would effort a akin stunt during his proceedings was truthful precocious that during his evidence, helium was brought to and from the witnesser container successful handcuffs.

Dominic Murphy, caput of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, said of Khalife’s crimes: “Ego is simply a factor, I’ve got nary uncertainty he’s got an uncanny quality to manipulate others.

“I deliberation helium astir apt enjoyed the thrill of deception throughout.”

The erstwhile worker volition beryllium sentenced astatine a aboriginal date.