Ex-Soldier's Espionage Tale: A Case That Rivals Fiction

Daniel Khalife, a former British soldier, was convicted of communicating sensitive information to Iranian intelligence. Despite claiming intentions to serve as a double-agent for Britain, the jury found him guilty of violations under the Official Secrets Act. His dramatic prison escape earlier this year brought attention to his case.

In a story as intriguing as any spy novel, former British soldier Daniel Khalife has been convicted of passing sensitive information to the Iranian intelligence service.

The conviction follows Khalife's daring escape from a London prison, a move that sparked a nationwide manhunt lasting several days.

Prosecutors accused Khalife of playing a "cynical game" by providing Iran with a significant volume of classified material, including the identities of special forces officers.

In court, Khalife claimed his communications with Iran were part of a scheme inspired by the TV show "Homeland," aiming to act as a double-agent for Britain. Defence lawyer Gul Nawaz Hussein portrayed Khalife's ambitions in espionage as naive, comparing them to slapstick comedy rather than serious intelligence work.

Khalife's activities came to light following his escape from Wandsworth Prison in September 2023. The escape involved using a delivery truck to flee the premises but ended with his capture on a canal path.

Despite accepting his escape charges, Khalife contested the allegations of espionage during the trial. Khalife, who joined the British Army at 16, was initially part of the Royal Corps of Signals. He was disallowed from joining the intelligence service due to his Iranian heritage.

His unauthorized engagements with Iranian intelligence began at 17 and continued until he contacted MI6 to propose working as a double-agent. Khalife asserted that much of the information he passed to Iran was either fabricated or publicly available, contradicting claims that it compromised military secrets.

(With inputs from agencies.)