Ex-soldier Daniel Khalife compared to 'Scooby-Doo and not 007' as he's found guilty of spying for Iran

A former soldier has been found guilty of spying for Iran. Daniel Khalife, who sparked a manhunt when he escaped from prison, was cleared of carrying out a bomb hoax at Woolwich Crown Court.

The jury convicted Khalife of breaching the Official Secrets Act and Terrorism Act, after 23 hours of deliberation. The 23-year-old calmly replaced his glasses as the verdicts were read out and did not show any emotion.

He had pleaded guilty part way through his trial to escaping from HMP Wandsworth in September 2023. Bethan David, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said after the verdict: "As a serving soldier of the British Army Daniel Khalife was employed and entrusted to uphold and protect the national security of this country.

POLL: Do you agree with the DWP taking money from bank accounts or wages?

"But, for purposes of his own, Daniel Khalife used his employment to undermine national security." Ms David said Khalife obtained copies of secret, sensitive information which he knew was protected and passed it on to individuals he believed to be acting on behalf of the Iranian state.

"The sharing of the information could have exposed military personnel to serious harm, or a risk to life, and prejudiced the safety and security of the United Kingdom," she said.

The prosecution used mobile phone evidence, notes written by Khalife himself and CCTV footage to prove he had gathered and shared classified information, for which he was paid hundreds of pounds. His unlawful conduct even took him to Turkey, Express.co.uk reports.

Prosecutors told his trial he played "a cynical game", claiming he wanted a career as a double agent to help the British Intelligence Services, when in fact he gathered "a very large body of restricted and classified material".

Police described him as the "ultimate Walter Mitty character" who was "having a significant impact on the real world". Khalife, who was formerly based in Staffordshire, created and passed on fake documents supposedly from MPs, senior military officials and the security services - but also sent genuine army documents.

Having reached out to a "middle-man" by sending him a Facebook message, Khalife told the Iranians he would stay undercover in the British Army for "25-plus years" for them. He joined the British Army in 2018, two weeks before his 17th birthday, and served with the Royal Corps of Signals.

In 2021, Khalife secretly gathered the names of serving soldiers, including those in the special forces. He took a photo of a handwritten list of 15 of them, having been sent an internal spreadsheet of promotions in June 2021.

After his arrest, he told police he had wanted to offer himself to UK security agencies all along, having emailed MI6 as early as 2019. Khalife told jurors he wanted to prove bosses wrong after being told his Iranian heritage could stop him working in military intelligence, and came up with his elaborate double agent plot after watching the TV spy thriller Homeland.

Defence barrister, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, said his double agent plot was "hapless" and "sometimes bordering on the slapstick", more "Scooby-Doo" than James Bond or Homeland.

He escaped from HMP Wandsworth in south-west London by clinging to the underside of a food delivery truck last September and made one last attempt to contact the Iranians before he was found, sending a Telegram message which said simply: "I wait."

Concern he would try a similar stunt during his trial was so high that during his evidence he was brought to and from the witness box in handcuffs.

Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, said of Khalife's crimes: "Ego is a factor. I've got no doubt he's got an uncanny ability to manipulate others. I think he probably enjoyed the thrill of deception throughout."

Brumwish 2024 - buy a gift for a child in need

BrumWish 2024 is Birmingham Live's festive drive to get thousands of gifts to children and young people across our city - among them the homeless, the vulnerable, kids in care, kids who are poorly or struggling, and kids who have little.

There are THREE simple ways to help.

1. Buy a new gift from the Brumwish 2024 Amazon giftlist. In just a click your donation will be whizzing its way to our volunteers at Edgbaston Stadium.
2. Donate money to the appeal fund hosted by Thrive Together Birmingham - this will help pay for gifts for kids with specialist needs or specific wishes.
3. Buy a gift and, even better, rope in friends, neighbours and workmates to do the same, then drop off your pressies at Edgbaston Stadium, Edgbaston Road, B5 7QU on Friday 6th December, 10am - 3pm; Saturday 7th December, 10am - 1pm; or Monday 9th December, 10am - 1pm. Volunteers will be there to help you. Please don't wrap your gifts. You can also drop off by arrangement until Monday 16th December - contact Louise on 07469 979286.

Thanks to our partnership with #Toys4Birmingham, every single gift will find a good home in the loving care of a child living in B&Bs or hotels, hostels or refuges, children receiving support from specialist organisations and charities, and families being supported by children's centres and charities around the city.

Making up the Brumwish and Toys4Birmingham gang are Thrive Together Birmingham, Birmingham Playcare Network, Warwickshire Cricket Foundation (the charitable arm of Warwickshire County Cricket Club), Birmingham Forward Steps and BirminghamLive/Birmingham Mail.

Thank you to Amazon UK and the amazing team at the Sutton Coldfield depot for their support.