British Man In Court After Spying for Iran, Escaping Prison

A British man is back in court after he was caught spying for Iran, and then managed to successfully escape from a British prison last year.

At a glance:

  • Daniel Khalife, 23, allegedly passed sensitive information to Iran and later tried to sell himself as a double agent for MI6.
  • The court heard Khalife made contact with Iranian agents, collecting money in exchange for a fake document.
  • After escaping from Wandsworth Prison in 2023, Khalife sparked a nationwide manhunt, facing charges under the Official Secrets Act.

The case of former British soldier Daniel Khalife took another twist as a court heard that he allegedly offered his services as a double agent to MI6 after being involved with Iranian intelligence. Khalife, 23, reportedly collected £1,500 in a dog poo bag from Iranian handlers after passing them fake documents, all part of what he described as a “double-bluff” to ingratiate himself with UK intelligence services.

According to the prosecution at Woolwich Crown Court, Khalife’s ambitions for espionage started young—at 17, he already had his sights set on becoming a spy. The court heard that he joined the British Army’s Royal Corps of Signals to gain access to secure military communications, but his loyalty was allegedly more focused on Iran than the UK.

In an audacious twist, Khalife later contacted MI6 through an online form, claiming he wanted to work as a double agent. He said he had handed over fabricated intelligence to Iranian agents to build their trust. But the court wasn’t convinced this was a clever ploy for MI6—prosecutors argued that his main interest was in benefiting Iran, not playing secret agent for Britain.

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Khalife’s involvement with Iranian intelligence wasn’t just limited to emails. After obtaining secret communications equipment and military passwords, Khalife’s dealings with Iran reportedly became more serious, including attempts to meet Iranian agents abroad. Despite his lofty espionage ambitions, his career took a sharp turn when he allegedly staged a bomb hoax in 2023 before escaping from Wandsworth Prison by strapping himself under a food delivery van. His daring escape led to a nationwide manhunt that captured the public’s attention.

Khalife, who denies all charges, faces accusations under the Official Secrets Act for gathering and passing information to Iran that could have been useful to an enemy of the UK. Whether he was truly angling to become a double agent for MI6 or was just playing both sides to his advantage remains at the heart of this high-profile trial.