Daniel Khalife – live: Wandsworth prison escape ‘pre-planned’, says Met chief as police search Richmond Park

Kent Police has released a statement after the Channel Tunnel incident earlier today – and it is understood it is not in connection to the search for Daniel Khalife.

“At around 10.30am on Friday 8 September 2023 a suspicious vehicle was stopped at the Channel Tunnel terminal in Cheriton,” a statement read.

“Explosives experts from the British Army have been called to the scene and a cordon has been put in place for the safety of the public.

“This is currently having an effect on traffic approaching the terminal. A man has been detained in connection with the incident and enquiries are ongoing.”

A former prisoner has said Daniel Khalife will be “really terrified” on the run.

A man who escaped a US jail has told reporters that he worries there may be a price to pay for finding the former soldier.

The mayor of London has spoken about the manhunt for Daniel Khalife.

Rishi Sunak has not thrown his weight behind the governor of HMP Wandsworth, Katie Price.

The prime minister took questions from journalists in India, where he is visiting.

Rishi Sunak declined to say whether he has confidence in the governor of HMP Wandsworth Katie Price following the escape of terror suspect Daniel Khalife.

Speaking to broadcasters in New Delhi, he said: “This is obviously something that people will be focused on and I want to reassure people the police are working night and day to recapture the individual. Thankfully, these incidents are extremely rare.”

The PM added: “The justice secretary has initiated already an internal inquiry into specific circumstances around his escape. And it would be right to just let that go through so we know exactly what happens.”

Pushed again, Mr Sunak said insisted that it was important to “establish the facts first”, adding: “The detail of what’s happening is being established as I speak by the justice secretary right now.”

Asked if he was worried about collusion with – possibly Iran – the PM said: “Because this is an ongoing police investigation, I’m sure you can understand it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to provide a running commentary on it … It’s hard for me to comment on detail on that.”

A former prisoner who escaped death row believes Daniel Khalife could not have left the UK and will be found.

Nick Yarris, who spent 22 years on death row for a rape and murder he did not commit, told Sky News the security in the UK is “too tight”, such as its “tremendously bright” port services, for Khalife to have been able to flee the country.

When it comes to the question of whether the fugitive terror suspect had help, Mr Yarris said at least an initial low-level form of assistance would have been needed.

He also disagreed with the Metropolitan Police’s suggestion that Khalife is not a danger to the public. He said: “Daniel’s in a situation where he believes that he’s going to be gunned down at any moment and he’s in danger of harming someone. This is real fear. It makes people do things they wouldn’t otherwise do and Daniel’s already displayed behaviour of a sociopath so he’ll justify it all.”

Rishi Sunak was asked specifically whether he has confidence in the governor of HMP Wandsworth, following the escape of terror suspect Daniel Khalife.

Speaking to broadcasters in New Delhi, he said: “This is obviously something that people will be focused on and I want to reassure people the police are working night and day to recapture the individual.

“Thankfully, these incidents are extremely rare.

“The Justice Secretary has initiated already an internal inquiry into specific circumstances around his escape. And it would be right to just let that go through so we know exactly what happens.”

Pushed again, he said insisted that it was important to “establish the facts first”.

“The detail of what’s happening is being established as I speak by the Justice Secretary right now.”

Police are investigating whether terror suspect Daniel Abed Khalife’s “clearly pre-planned” escape from Wandsworth Prison was an inside job, Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley has said.

A national manhunt was sparked on Wednesday morning after the 21-year-old British Army soldier – accused of planting fake bombs at his former barracks – slipped past guards at the Category B prison by clinging to straps placed underneath a food delivery truck.

The Independent revealed on Thursday that intelligence sources said all signs pointed to the jailbreak being “an orchestrated job and not an opportunistic escape”.

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner confirmed on Friday morning that officers were investigating the possibility that Khalife had help from anyone inside or outside the prison walls.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley said the escape was “clearly pre-planned” – pointing to “the fact he could strap himself onto the bottom of the wagon”.

The police chief said: “I mean, there’s obviously some logistics involved inside. I’m not talking about the detail, but … [it] is unlikely to be something you do on the spur of the moment.”

Sir Mark said he could not confirm reports that Khalife may have detached himself from the van within around 200 yards of HMP Wandsworth.

Asked if he might have been given help as part of “inside job”, the Met boss said “we’re going to have a look at everything as part of this investigation.

“Did he do this on his own? Did anyone inside the prison help him? Did anyone outside the prison help him? … Was he helped by people outside the walls? Or was it simply all of his own creation?”

The commissioner also said it was “odd” that he was in a category B prison. “It seems odd to me on sort of first inspection. … it does seem odd that someone who’s charged with terrorist offences and offences linked to undermining the state is not in a high security.”

On the manhunt, the Met chief said 150 officers are involved with help from other forces and Border Force. He added: “So, as you might have picked up this morning, we have confirmed that sort of Richmond Park is one of the areas that we’ve been looking.”

Tracking maps show that two police helicopters were flying over the popular London park late into Thursday night.