A former soldier has been charged with escaping from HMP Wandsworth earlier this week, the Metropolitan Police has said.

Daniel Khalife was arrested at 10.41am on Saturday (September 9) on a canal towpath in west London after being pulled off a push bike by a plain-clothed counter-terrorism officer.

The 21-year-old escaped the prison on Wednesday morning (September 6) by hiding under a food delivery lorry.

Khalife was awaiting trial after allegedly planting a fake bomb at an RAF base and gathering information that might be useful to terrorists or enemies of the UK.

In a statement the Met Police said: “Daniel Abed Khalife, 21, will appear in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday September 11 charged as follows: On the 6th day of September 2023, then being a prisoner in His Majesty’s Prison at Wandsworth, being remanded in custody pending trial as ordered at the Central Criminal Court on the 21st day of July 2023, escaped, contrary to common law.”

Around 40 inmates moved from HMP Wandsworth

Since the escape of terror suspect Khalife, around 40 prisoners have been moved out of category B HMP Wandsworth.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk spoke to Sky News this morning (September 10) and was quizzed about the prison break.

He told Sky’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “Out of an abundance of caution some prisoners there, some of those on remand, have been moved (this week).

“Additional resources have of course gone into Wandsworth, so there’s additional governor support, a former governor with particular expertise in security.

“But also, out of an abundance of caution, around 40 prisoners have been moved just while we get to the bottom of what took place in Wandsworth. That is a sensible, precautionary measure.”

Mr Chalk said an investigation has suggested that HMP Wandsworth did have the correct security protocols and staff in place at the time of Khalife’s escape.