A terror suspect who broke out of a UK prison managed to blindside jail staff with an "old-fashioned ploy" like something out of a "World War Two film", an ex-cop slammed.
Daniel Abed Khalife, 22, was awaiting trial for terror and Official Secrets Act offences when he escaped from Wandsworth Prison on Wednesday morning (September 6), the Metropolitan Police said.
The escaped inmate, who had served in the British Army, made the jailbreak by clinging upside down to the underside of a delivery truck as it left the southwest London penitentiary.
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"It is utterly ridiculous he managed to escape so easily with such a basic old-fashioned ploy," ex-Met Police commander John O’Connor told The Sun.
"Escaping by clinging to the underside of a van is the sort of thing you see in old World War Two films.
"This sounds like something which could have happened at Colditz rather than a modern prison. It makes the prison service look like a laughing stock."
Khalife was working in the prison kitchen and made the dash after serving breakfast to his fellow lags.
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He made his way to the delivery area at around 7.50am before hiding under the van and securing himself with makeshift straps.
After Khalife's disappearance was noticed a manhunt was launched and the prison went into lockdown but staff and police were unable to locate him.
A "national incident" has since been declared and Border Control were placed on high alert.
Extra ID checks are now in place and travellers can expect long queues at airports across the UK, as the Daily Star reported yesterday.
Khalife was charged with collecting information, notes and documents which would be "useful to the enemy".
It is understood the former solider, who was based at Beacon Barracks in Beaconside, Stafford, took soldier details from the MoD personnel files which would be "useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism".
He was also accused of carrying out a bomb hoax after he allegedly left "three canisters with wires" on a desk at RAF Stafford on January 2, 2023.
He was discharged from the British Army back in April and was due to stand trial on November 20 after a bail application was turned down.
The escapee was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, red and white chequered trousers and brown steel toe cap boots, and was described as being slim with brown hair and around 6ft 2in tall.
Khalife is not considered dangerous but members of the public have been warned not to approach him and call 999 if they spot him.
Khalife has links to the Kingston-upon-Thames and it is thought he probably remains in the London area, although he may have travelled further afield.
The Prison Service said: "We are working with the Metropolitan Police to recapture this prisoner and are urgently investigating how he escaped."
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