A former British Army soldier, Daniel Khalife, has been convicted of espionage after being found guilty of spying for Iran. Khalife, who became notorious for sparking a manhunt after escaping from prison, was acquitted of charges related to a bomb hoax at Woolwich Crown Court.
Following 23 hours of deliberation, the jury found Khalife guilty of violating the Official Secrets Act and the Terrorism Act. The 23-year-old showed little emotion as the verdicts were read, calmly adjusting his glasses. During his trial, Khalife admitted to escaping from HMP Wandsworth in September 2023.
Bethan David, from the Crown Prosecution Service, commented on Khalife’s betrayal, stating: “As a serving soldier of the British Army, Daniel Khalife was entrusted to protect national security. Instead, he used his position to undermine it.” She explained that Khalife obtained sensitive, classified information, which he knowingly passed on to individuals he believed were acting on behalf of the Iranian government.
The information he shared posed serious risks to military personnel and national security, potentially endangering lives. The prosecution used mobile phone records, Khalife’s own notes, and CCTV footage to demonstrate how he gathered and transmitted the classified materials, for which he was paid hundreds of pounds. His illegal activities even led him to Turkey.
Prosecutors portrayed Khalife as playing a “cynical game,” pretending to aspire to be a double agent working for British intelligence while secretly accumulating a significant cache of restricted military documents.
Police described Khalife as a “Walter Mitty character” whose actions had real-world consequences. Operating from Staffordshire, Khalife fabricated and distributed fake documents supposedly from MPs and senior military personnel, alongside genuine army documents.
In one notable incident, Khalife contacted a “middle-man” via Facebook, claiming he would stay undercover in the British Army for “25-plus years” working for the Iranians. He joined the Army in 2018, just two weeks before turning 17, and served with the Royal Corps of Signals.
In 2021, Khalife secretly compiled a list of soldiers’ names, including those in special forces, after receiving an internal spreadsheet detailing promotions. His espionage activities included photographing a handwritten list of 15 military personnel.
Upon his arrest, Khalife told police that he had always intended to offer his services to UK intelligence agencies. He claimed he had contacted MI6 as early as 2019, hoping to prove wrong those who doubted his potential due to his Iranian heritage. He elaborated on his elaborate double-agent plot, inspired by the TV series Homeland.
Khalife’s defense barrister, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, dismissed the notion of his client being a spy, calling his double-agent plan “hapless” and “sometimes bordering on the slapstick.” He compared it more to “Scooby-Doo” than a James Bond or Homeland plot.
Khalife’s escape from HMP Wandsworth last September, in which he hid under a food delivery truck, highlighted his cunning. Before his capture, he attempted to contact the Iranians again, sending a Telegram message reading simply: “I wait.” Authorities, concerned about the possibility of a repeat escape, ensured Khalife was brought to and from the witness box in handcuffs throughout his trial.
Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, commented on Khalife’s motivations: “Ego is a factor. He has an uncanny ability to manipulate others and likely took pleasure in the deception.”