Staffordshire soldier in court accused of ‘bomb hoax’ and terror offence
A 21-year-old serving member of the British Army is accused of committing a bomb hoax and a terror offence, a court has heard.
Daniel Abed Khalife, of Beacon Barracks, Beaconside, Stafford, had a brief preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday.
He is charged with "eliciting information about members of the armed forces" and "perpetrating a bomb hoax", the court heard.
The terror charge states that in August 2021, Khalife "elicited information about individuals who are members of His Majesty's forces".
This allegedly relates to him "obtaining personal information from the MoD Joint Personnel Administration system, of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism".
The second charge accuses him of a bomb hoax contrary to section 51(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
It alleged that on or before January this year, he placed "three cannisters with wires" with the intention of inducing in another a belief this was "likely to explode or ignite and thereby cause personal injury or damage to property".
Khalife, who was remanded in custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court last month, was wearing a black long-sleeved top and spoke to confirm his name and age.
Tom Williams was prosecuting and Andrew Horsell was defending.
Mr Justice Jeremy Baker ordered Khalife to next appear at either the Old Bailey or Woolwich Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on July 21, ahead of a trial at the latter on November 20.
He was charged on January 27 following an investigation by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, the force previously said.
