Former British Army soldier Daniel Khalife has been found guilty of spying for Iran, in a case that has raised serious national security concerns. The 23-year-old soldier engaged in a complex espionage operation that involved collecting and passing sensitive military information to Tehran.
Prosecutors revealed that Khalife began his illicit activities shortly after joining the army in September 2018, when he contacted a man linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Facebook. He claimed to want to be a double agent but was actually gathering classified information that could potentially endanger military personnel.
During his time in the army, Khalife collected the names of 15 serving soldiers, including some from special forces. While he denied sending the complete list to Iranian contacts, he admitted to passing some information, though he claimed most of it was fabricated.
The extent of his espionage was dramatic, including a bizarre incident where he was sent to collect $2,000 (£1,500) left in a dog poo bag in a north London park. His actions breached both the Official Secrets Act and the Terrorism Act.
Bethan David from the Crown Prosecution Service emphasized the severity of Khalife’s actions, stating that he used his military employment to undermine national security and potentially expose military personnel to serious harm.
Khalife’s legal troubles were compounded by additional incidents. He was initially on remand for offenses related to espionage and a bomb hoax. An unrealistic fake bomb, consisting of three nitrous oxide canisters taped together, was found on his desk after he failed to report for duty, leading to the evacuation of five housing blocks.
In September 2023, Khalife dramatically escaped from Wandsworth prison by strapping himself to the underside of a food delivery lorry. This escape led to a high-profile manhunt, during which he was eventually arrested 75 hours later while cycling on a canal tow path.
His lawyer attempted to downplay the situation, describing the double agent plot as more “Scooby-Doo” than “007”. However, the prosecution argued that Khalife had played a “cynical game” with potentially serious consequences.
Commander Dominic Murphy from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that the threat from states like Iran is very serious, and a soldier sharing sensitive military information is “extremely reckless and dangerous”.
Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb indicated that Khalife will face a long custodial sentence when he is sentenced early next year. Most of the encrypted messages Khalife exchanged with his contacts were deleted, leaving uncertainty about the full extent of the information he may have shared.
The case highlights the ongoing challenges of internal security and the potential risks posed by individuals with access to sensitive military information.
