Police looking at whether prison staff helped Khalife escape
Met Police boss Mark Rowley has said police are looking into the possibility prison staff may have helped Daniel Khalife escape prison.
Khalife, 21, a terror suspect and ex-British soldier, escaped from Wandsworth prison in Southwest London on Wednesday morning.
It is believed he was able to escape prison by strapping himself to the underside of a lorry via the prison kitchen.
Rowley says the escape was “clearly pre-planned” and “extremely concerning.”
Asked if police are looking into whether it was an “inside job”, the Met boss said: “It is a question. Did anyone inside the prison help him? Other prisoners, guard staff? Was he helped by people outside the walls or was it simply all of his own creation?”
He called it “extremely concerning” that Khalife is “on the loose”. Asked whether he was surprised to learn that the terror suspect was in a Category B prison, Sir Mark said it did “seem odd” on first inspection.
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The commissioner told LBC the hunt for Khalife is a “massive operation” involving “well into three figures of officers” as well as help from forces around the country and from the border force.
“At the moment we are still really keen to get any reports from members of the public”.
A massive manhunt is underway, as officials suggest Khalife may have already fled the UK.
The 21-year-old terror suspect is accused of trying to gather information for a hostile state, the BBC says it has been told that state is Iran.
There have been long queues at the borders as vehicles are checked as they leave the UK.
It’s now the third day of the manhunt.
Name: Daniel Abed Khalife
Age: 21
Height: 6ft 2ins (1.88m)
Where was he last seen? Khalife is accused of escaping from HMP Wandsworth at 07:50 BST on Wednesday morning.
Last seen wearing: Prison-issue chef’s uniform of a white T-shirt, red and white chequered trousers and brown steel toe cap boots, according to police.
