LONDON (AP) — A former British soldier whose daring escape from a London prison After a days-long search, he was convicted Thursday of passing delicate data to Iranian intelligence.
Daniel Khalife, 23, was discovered responsible by a jury at Woolwich Crown Court of breaching Britain’s Official Secrets Act by gathering data helpful to an enemy – Iran. He was acquitted of planting pretend bombs in his navy barracks.
Prosecutors stated Khalife performed a “cynical sport” by claiming he wished to be a spy after handing over massive quantities of labeled and labeled materials to Iran, together with the names of particular forces officers.
Trustworthy information and each day delights, straight to your inbox
See for your self: The Yodel is your go-to supply for each day information, leisure and feel-good tales.
Khalife testified that he had been involved with folks within the Iranian authorities, however that it was all a part of a ploy to ultimately work as a double agent for Britain, a scheme he stated he bought from watching the TV present “Homeland.”
“I wished to make use of my background to advance our nationwide safety,” he informed jurors.
Defense lawyer Gul Nawaz Hussein stated Khalife’s aspirations to be James Bond had been naive, silly and bordering on farce. He stated his shopper was extra “Scooby Doo” than “007.”
Khalife’s case didn’t obtain a lot consideration till he escaped from a London jail in September 2023 and was on the run for 3 days.
Khalife was being held on the cost in Wandsworth Prison when he escaped from the kitchen by tying himself to the underside of a supply lorry. He was ultimately caught alongside the trail of a canal.
During his trial, Khalife pleaded responsible to the escape, however continued to dispute the espionage prices.
Khalife joined the military at 16 and was assigned to the Royal Corps of Signals, a communications unit deployed with troops on the battlefield in addition to particular forces and intelligence groups.
He was informed he could not be a part of the key service as a result of his mom is Iranian.
At 17, he contacted a person linked to Iranian intelligence and started passing him data, prosecutors stated. He was granted secret NATO safety clearance when he took half in a joint train at Fort Cavazos in Texas in early 2021.
British safety officers had been unaware of Khalife’s contacts with the Iranians till he contacted MI6, the United Kingdom’s overseas intelligence service, to supply to work as a double agent.
He contacted MI6 anonymously, saying he had earned the belief of his Iranian handlers and that that they had rewarded him by leaving a bag in a north London park containing $2,000 in money (£1,578).
Khalife stated that a lot of the materials he offered to his Iranian handlers was data he invented or paperwork obtainable on-line and didn’t reveal navy secrets and techniques.
