Nationwide hunt continues in UK for terrorist suspect who escaped prison

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - A UK-wide manhunt for a former soldier suspected of terror offences who escaped from a London prison continued for a second day on Thursday.

Twenty-one-year-old Daniel Abed Khalife has been accused of leaving fake bombs at a military base. He was awaiting trial at HMP Wandsworth in southwest London in relation to terrorism and Official Secrets Act offences, the Metropolitan Police said.

He was believed to be working in the kitchen and wearing a chef's uniform while escaping.

More than 150 officers and staff are involved in the operation to find Khalife, whe escaped via the prison kitchen by strapping himself to the bottom of a food delivery van, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

"We have issued a nationwide alert that has resulted in increased security at our ports and borders. However currently, there have not been any confirmed sightings," said Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command.

Murphy said that police officers stopped a van in Upper Richmond Road at 8.37 a.m. local time (0737GMT) near the junction with Carlton Drive on Wednesday, 47 minutes after Khalife was declared missing.

"Officers spoke to the driver and carried out a thorough search. Police discovered strapping on the underside of the van," he added.

Appealing to the public, the police reiterated that there is no information which indicates, nor any reason to believe that Khalife poses a threat to the wider public.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk held a meeting with HMP Wandsworth's governor following the escape "to make sure that all necessary steps have been taken to secure the prison."

Speaking in parliament, Chalk said he has requested urgent answers from the HM Prison and Probation Service and a review into "the categorization and placement of prisoners" at Wandsworth and terrorism prisoners across the estate.

"An independent inquiry will take place in due course," he added.