Former soldier ‘who escaped Wandsworth prison under food van picked up £1,500 fee for spying for Iran in dog poo bag’

A FORMER worker who escaped Wandsworth situation nether a nutrient van picked up his £1,500 for spying for Iran successful a canine poo bag, a tribunal heard.

Daniel Khalife was allegedly successful interaction with Iranian information work members wrong conscionable 1 period of joining the Royal Corps of Signals.

The 23-year-old utilized fake email addresses for the alleged espionage and sent details astir SAS and SBS unit to his handlers, jurors heard.

Khalife was paid £1,500 for his services, which helium collected successful August 2019 from a parkland successful Barnet, North London.

Woolwich Crown Court was told helium picked up a canine discarded container with images of paws and bones connected it containing the cash.

While being held astatine HMP Wandsworth for his alleged crimes, Khalife utilized furniture sheets to strap himself to the underside of a nutrient transportation truck.

He past fled the apical information jailhouse connected September 6, 2023 - sparking a immense nationwide hunt, jurors heard.

Khalife, who was brought up successful Kingston, South West London, by his Iranian mum, joined the Army successful September 2018 - 2 weeks earlier his 17th birthday.

But authoritative Mark Heywood KC said helium had "no existent volition to simply get his caput down" and alternatively his caput moved to espionage.

In April 2019, Khalife allegedly archetypal made interaction with Iran - conscionable weeks aft helium passed his information clearance.

The tribunal heard messages showed by August 2020, helium was consenting to stitchery accusation "to order, for arsenic agelong arsenic they wanted" portion posted with the 16th Signal Regiment successful Stafford.

He told a interaction saved arsenic David Smith: "I request to spell to your supervisor and inquire what circumstantial regiment oregon assemblage you're funny in."

That aforesaid month, helium allegedly travelled to Istanbul connected instructions from David Smith, who told him to disguise the travel arsenic a holiday.

Khalife utilized Telegram to bespeak helium had near a bundle for his handlers, the tribunal heard.

Mr Heywood said Khalife's program was to spell from Turkey to Iran but helium did not transverse the border.

He was posted to Fort Hood successful Texas betwixt February and April 2021 and allegedly stayed successful interaction with his Iranian handlers.

The tribunal heard helium took a bid of screenshots of systems marked "Secret", including a password grounds sheet.

In April that year, Khalife was granted the 2nd highest level of Nato security, 1 beneath "cosmic apical secret".

Just 2 months later, helium allegedly took a photograph of a handwritten database of 15 soldiers - including immoderate serving successful the Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS).

At 1 point, Khalife contacted MI6 saying helium wanted to beryllium a "double agent" and aboriginal told police his interaction with the Iranians was each a treble bluff, the tribunal was told.

He denies gathering, publishing oregon communicating accusation that mightiness beryllium utile to an enemy, namely Iranian intelligence, contrary to the Official Secrets Act betwixt May 1 2019 and January 6 2022.

Khalife besides denies having elicited oregon attempted to elicit idiosyncratic accusation astir equipped forces unit that was apt to beryllium utile to a idiosyncratic committing oregon preparing an enactment of terrorism from a Ministry of Defence medication strategy connected August 2 2021.

The erstwhile worker has besides pleaded not blameworthy to escaping from prison, contrary to communal law.

The proceedings continues.