• Daniel Khalife, a former British soldier, was sentenced to over 14 years for espionage and for escaping from prison.
• Khalife passed sensitive information to Iranian intelligence, which included names of special forces personnel.
• The 23-year-old's dramatic prison escape in September 2023 led to a nationwide manhunt and raised security concerns.
• Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb criticized Khalife for his “dangerous and fantastical plan,” highlighting his immaturity.
• An inquiry into the prison’s security failures has been initiated.

A former British soldier, Daniel Khalife, has been sentenced to over 14 years in prison after being convicted of spying for Iran and for escaping from Wandsworth Prison. Khalife, 23, was found guilty of violating the Official Secrets Act and the Terrorism Act after a court trial that revealed he had passed sensitive information to Iranian intelligence, including details about elite special forces personnel.

During the trial, which resulted in his conviction last November, Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb remarked on Khalife’s actions, labeling him a “dangerous fool” motivated by a desire to gain notoriety. Prosecutors argued that Khalife's actions represented a significant threat to national security, especially given the ongoing precarious relationship between the UK and Iran.

Khalife's dramatic escape from prison attracted considerable media attention; he clung to the underside of a food delivery truck and evaded capture for three days, until he was apprehended by police on a bicycle beside a canal in London. His escape led to immediate public concerns about the lax security protocols in place at UK prisons. An inquiry regarding his escape is currently underway, revealing notable security flaws.

Despite pleading guilty to the escape, Khalife has always maintained his innocence regarding the spying charges, claiming he sought to work as a double agent for the UK. His lawyer described his actions as resembling a plot more akin to a Scooby Doo episode than a spy thriller, arguing that the information he provided was of little consequence. However, the judge stated that his actions over a two-and-a-half-year period posed a real risk to operational effectiveness for British military personnel.

Khalife joined the British Army at the age of 16 and was linked to several sensitive communications while he served, including during a deployment in Texas, where he reportedly collected substantial classified material. The judge highlighted Khalife's immaturity and lack of foresight, emphasizing that he underestimated the risks associated with engaging with Iranian agents.

For further details, read the full reports on CNN, SCMP, and The Guardian.