Police catch a terrorism suspect who escaped from a London prison

By The Associated Press

Published September 9, 2023 at 6:59 AM CDT

Police patrolled in the Chiswick area of London as the hunt for Daniel Khalife entered its fourth day on Saturday. Khalife, a British soldier awaiting trial on terrorism charges escaped from a prison in South West London on Wednesday.

LONDON — A former soldier who escaped from a London prison while awaiting trial on terrorism charges was captured Saturday, police said.

Daniel Abed Khalife was on the run four days before a massive search managed to nab him in Chiswick in west London.

Khalife escaped on the bottom of a food delivery truck from Wandsworth Prison on Wednesday. The breakout ignited a storm of criticism as political opponents blamed the ruling Conservative party for incompetence.

Khalife, 21, is accused of planting fake bombs at a military base and of violating Britain's Official Secrets Act by gathering information "that could be useful to an enemy." He was discharged from the British army after his arrest earlier this year and had denied the allegations. His trial is set for November.

London counter-terror police had offered a 20,000 pound ($25,000) reward for information leading to his arrest.