Daniel Khalif, a suspected terrorist and spy, escaped from Wandsworth prison on Wednesday. This is all we are aware of in regards to his Great Escape.
On Wednesday, about 7 a.m., a bid food lorry arrived at HMP Wandsworth on its usual delivery route. After clearing security checks, the truck stopped close to the jail kitchens. While the cook prepared breakfast for the prisoners, the driver unloaded the truck. Daniel Khalif, who was employed as a cook in the kitchens, managed to slip away unnoticed. He then scaled the underside of the lorry and fastened himself to it with sturdy straps.
The Lorry departed the jail property at 7:37 in the morning and carried on with its delivery routes. Prison guards become aware of Khalif’s absence at 7:50 a.m. and sound the alarm. At 8:15 a.m., when roll call was completed, the Prison Governor contacted Scotland Yard to inform them of a missing prisoner, resulting in an urgent lockdown of the facility.
Additionally informed was the S015 counter terror command of the Metropolitan Police. The boss of the Bidfood Lorry driver called him at 8:30 am and ordered him to come back to Wandsworth prison right away. On upper Richmond Road in Southwest London at 8:37 a.m., police with sniffing dogs stopped the Lorry.
Daniel Khalif was unlikely to be found; the only thing holding the lorry on were the straps he used. In order to prevent Khalif from leaving the country, the authorities immediately issued a notice to all ports and airports. Then, additional passport checks started to cause delays at some airports, and channel ports started to experience traffic backups. Along with more than 150 police officers and staff members, helicopters joined the manhunt for Khalif. The houses of Khalif’s relatives and friends as well as his former addresses in Stratford and London were visited by detectives. Khalif’s escape was reported on the news on Wednesday afternoon along with a picture of his mugshot.
One of the largest man hunts in years was announced throughout the course of the next few days by extensive searches in Richmond Park and other parts of the country. The Police announced a First Sighting on Friday and provided a £20,000 reward for his capture. Just before 11 a.m. on Saturday, Scotland Yard announced his arrest in the Chizik neighborhood.