Ex-Staffordshire soldier accused of prison escape and bomb hoax ‘gave Iran fabricated information’

A former soldier accused of passing secret information to Iran and escaping from prison told MI5 he had been contacted by Iranian intelligence and had given them “fabricated” information to “get rid” of them.

Daniel Khalife, 23, is alleged to have fled his Army barracks in January 2023 when he realised he would face criminal charges over allegations he passed classified information to the Middle Eastern country’s intelligence service.

Later, while on remand, he is alleged to have escaped from HMP Wandsworth in September 2023 by tying himself to the underside of a food delivery truck using bedsheets.

On Friday, Woolwich Crown Court heard how, in November 2021, Khalife made two anonymous calls to MI5 from an unregistered mobile, having earlier tried to contact MI6.

He told an operator he had been in contact with Iran for more than two years and thought he could help the British security services.

A transcript of the first phone call, to MI5’s public phone number on November 9, was read out to the jury.

He told the operator that he would like to stay anonymous.

He said he had been contacted by a man named Hamed Ghashgabi, an Iranian intelligence officer who had been sanctioned by the US, “about two-and-a-half years ago”, the court heard.

“He explained who he was, he explained he had relations with somebody called Monica Witt.”

Khalife said that after he was contacted by Ghashgabi he became worried about his “future prospects”, particularly with his Army vetting.