British police searched a park in west London on Friday for a former soldier who escaped from prison this week and is accused of committing terrorist offenses. Investigators are looking into whether he received assistance from inside his detention facility. Daniel Abed Khalifa, 21, managed to escape on Wednesday morning by sneaking out of the kitchen of H.M.P. Wandsworth, where he worked, and securing himself underneath a food transport van.
Despite reports suggesting he poses no danger to the public, his escape triggered a large manhunt across the country, including increased security screening at ports and airports, leading to travel delays. About 150 counter-terrorism officers are involved in what London Police Chief Mark Rowley described as a massive operation to locate Khalifa. Police confirmed on Friday that helicopters are flying over Richmond Park in London as part of the search efforts.
Rowley told LBC radio that they are investigating whether Khalifa, who was wearing a chef's uniform consisting of a white shirt, red-and-white checkered pants, and brown shoes, received help during his escape from guards or other inmates, adding, "It is clear that this was planned in advance." Khalifa was discharged from the army in May and is accused of obtaining or attempting to obtain information that could be useful to someone planning a terrorist act during his posting at a barracks in central England in 2021.
He is also accused of staging a bomb threat by placing three devices with wires on one of the desks. He faces charges of gathering information that could be "directly or indirectly useful to the enemy." The BBC reported that he is accused of gathering information on behalf of Iran.
Opposition MPs have demanded answers on how Khalifa managed to escape from prison and why he was not held in a maximum-security facility. Justice Secretary Alex Chalk told Parliament on Thursday that an immediate investigation would be conducted into the security protocols at Wandsworth Prison and the decision regarding Khalifa's detention, with preliminary findings expected within days.
