Nationwide hunt underway in UK after terrorist suspect escapes prison

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The UK has launched a nationwide manhunt after a former soldier suspected of terror offences escaped from a London prison early Wednesday.

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 in a statement.

Issuing an urgent appeal, the police said Khalife was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, red and white chequered trousers and brown steel toe cap boots.

"We have a team of officers who are making extensive and urgent enquiries in order to locate and detain Khalife as quickly as possible," said Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command.

Khalife is believed to have escaped via a prison kitchen by strapping himself to the bottom of a food delivery van, according to media reports.

"I also want to reassure the public that we have no information which indicates, nor any reason to believe that Khalife poses a threat to the wider public," added Murphy.

Although police said he most likely remains in the London area at this time, the search has been expanded across the UK, establishing extra security checks at airports as well as ports, which is causing long delays.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said he 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."