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During the Woolwich Crown Court trial of Daniel Khalife, a former soldier in the British Army who allegedly worked as a spy for Iran and escaped from Wandsworth Prison last year, a recording of a conversation between the accused and two Iranian contacts was played to the jury. The prosecution alleged that the conversation, recorded in November 2021, showed Khalife seeking to gain training from the contacts in Iran or Lebanon. The senior member of the group recommended Lebanon as the safer option. Khalife stated that he desired to ‘have some training from you guys’ and that ‘the best training for me is inside of Iran.’ However, the voice with a strong Iranian accent replied that Lebanon was the preferred destination. The prosecution used the recording, retrieved from Khalife’s personal iPad, to demonstrate that he was involved in gathering information for Iran, including a list of special forces soldiers. He was also accused of perpetrating a bomb hoax and escaping prison, all charges he denies.
The two calls Khalife made to MI5 call handlers were also played. In the first call, Khalife claimed he was approached by an Iranian man, and from then on, he began fabricating documents. He mentioned that he had collected cash in £20 notes from a dog poo bag in Mill Hill Park in North London and £1,000 pounds from under a pot in Kensal Green Cemetery. In the subsequent call, he asked why he had not received a call back from the organisation, showing his willingness to work for Iran.
Prosecutors commented that Khalife held a high rank in the Royal Corps of Signals and could gain access to sensitive information. They added that he had offered to work as an agent for Iran in messages to Iranian intelligence handlers. In his squadron, he won the cup for the best junior soldier and was recommended for promotion to Lance Corporal at the age of 20. Khalife was initially arrested in January 2022 and charged in January 2023. He is alleged to have escaped Wandsworth Prison eight months later; however, authorities recaptured him after three days.
The Woolwich Crown Court continues hearings in this case
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