Escaped Terror Suspect Daniel Khalife: Encounter with a Dog Walker
In an astonishing twist, Gabriella Lewis, a dog walker, revealed a surprising encounter with fugitive terror suspect Daniel Khalife on a park bench, just a day before his eventual arrest. Khalife, who had managed to evade authorities after escaping from prison, engaged in an unexpected conversation with Lewis during their chance meeting.
Gabriella Lewis, 52 years old, recounted her interaction with the former soldier who had been on the run. She noticed that Khalife’s injured ear had been crudely stitched together with fishing line, and his proximity made her uneasy. Attempting to initiate a conversation, she remarked, “Lovely day, isn’t it?” To her surprise, Khalife responded with, “I’ve just got out of the Army,” an unusual conversation starter. Her response was a simple, “Oh. That’s good.”
Concerned that Khalife might be grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder following his recent exit from the military, Gabriella tried to extend kindness towards him. Unbeknownst to her, Khalife’s capture was imminent, marking the end of a 75-hour manhunt involving 150 anti-terrorism police officers.
The apprehension of Khalife, 21 years old, transpired on a Saturday following his daring escape from Wandsworth Prison on September 6th. His charges included escaping from HMP Wandsworth, and he was scheduled to appear before Westminster magistrates’ court.
During the investigation into Khalife’s escape, approximately 40 inmates were relocated from the Category B jail. Justice Secretary Alex Chalk characterized this move as an act of “abundance of caution.”
Khalife’s initial incarceration stemmed from accusations of planting a fake bomb at his barracks in Staffordshire and gathering potentially useful information for terrorists. His escape method involved concealing himself beneath a food delivery lorry, while wearing a prison-issued chef’s uniform. He was ultimately captured in Northolt, a distance of 12 miles from the prison.
Gabriella’s unusual encounter with Khalife at Chiswick House and Gardens in West London added a surreal dimension to this unfolding drama. Despite his two-day escape, Khalife appeared surprisingly clean, but his ear bore the marks of makeshift stitches, seemingly done with blue fishing line. His request for the time raised suspicions, leaving Gabriella concerned about her phone’s safety. Sensing an unusual reluctance to vacate the bench, she informed Khalife of the time, around 9:15 am, and used it as her cue to depart from this surreal encounter.