Daniel Khalife, a former British soldier convicted of espionage on behalf of Iran, was sentenced on Monday to more than 14 years in prison after betraying his country and orchestrating a dramatic escape from a London prison.
Khalife, 23, was found guilty in November of violating the Official Secrets Act and Terrorism Act for supplying classified and sensitive material to Iran. His conviction stemmed from his dealings with Iranian intelligence services, where he shared crucial information, including the names of special forces officers.
In her sentencing, Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb remarked, “As a young man, you had the makings of an exemplary soldier. However, through repeated violations of your oath of service, you demonstrated yourself to be a dangerous fool.”
Despite his attempt to justify his actions during trial, jurors at Woolwich Crown Court rejected Khalife’s claim that he had been working as a double agent for the UK. The court also dismissed his testimony that his espionage was part of an elaborate plan to deceive the Iranians, which he said was inspired by the TV show “Homeland.”
Khalife’s espionage case only gained significant attention after his audacious escape from Wandsworth Prison, which saw him sneak out under a food delivery truck. The escape sent shockwaves through the UK’s security services, highlighting vulnerabilities within the country’s prison system. Khalife spent three days on the run before being apprehended while cycling near a canal in London.
During his trial, Khalife admitted to escaping but denied the charges of spying. His legal team downplayed the severity of his actions, likening them to a misguided plot straight from a “Scooby Doo” episode rather than a James Bond thriller. His lawyer, Gul Nawaz Hussain, argued that the documents Khalife provided to the Iranian regime were “laughably fake” and caused no real damage.
Prosecutors, however, contended that Khalife had been playing a “cynical game,” claiming he was working for the UK as a double agent after having already passed on critical information to Iranian officials. They argued that his actions posed a genuine threat to national security, particularly given the longstanding tensions between the UK and Iran, which has been linked to 20 disrupted terror plots, including assassination attempts.
Khalife’s interactions with the Iranian government went unnoticed by British intelligence services until he reached out to MI6, the UK’s foreign intelligence agency, offering to act as a double agent. In his covert communication with MI6, Khalife claimed that his Iranian handlers had placed $2,000 in cash in a dog poo bag in a north London park as a sign of their trust in him.
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Having joined the army at the age of 16, Khalife was assigned to the Royal Corps of Signals, a unit that handles communication for battlefield troops, special forces, and intelligence operations. However, due to his Iranian heritage, Khalife was told he could not join the intelligence service. Undeterred, he began making contact with Iranian intelligence operatives at the age of 17, passing along sensitive information.
His security clearance, granted during a joint military exercise at Fort Cavazos in Texas in 2021, gave him access to NATO secrets, which could have had dire diplomatic consequences, according to the judge.
Khalife’s escape from Wandsworth Prison also drew attention to the country’s aging and overcrowded correctional system, prompting a formal inquiry into how the escape occurred and whether any prison staff may have aided him. Two men have already been arrested in connection with his escape.
The sentence of over 14 years marks the culmination of a series of events that exposed significant flaws in the UK’s national security apparatus. Khalife’s betrayal is a stark reminder of the vulnerability posed by insiders, as well as the urgent need for vigilance in the country’s intelligence and security services.
