Terror Suspect Daniel Khalife Captured After 4-Day Manhunt
In a dramatic turn of events, terror suspect Daniel Khalife found himself in handcuffs after four days of eluding authorities. An exclusive photo, obtained by The Sun on Sunday, shows Khalife glaring at onlookers as he is led to a van at 11:20 am.
Swift Capture
Plain-clothes police officers apprehended Khalife on a canal towpath, where they confronted him with a stern warning: “Don’t move or we’ll shoot.” The arrest took place 12 miles away from Wandsworth Prison, where Khalife had escaped earlier.
Bold Arrest
Undercover officers had been discreetly waiting for their moment, concealed behind a wall near the canal. They acted swiftly at 10:41 am, dragging Khalife off a suspected stolen bicycle, wrestling him to the ground, and pinning him against the underside of a bridge. This marked the end of an extensive manhunt involving 150 anti-terror officers and an all-ports alert.
A Normal Cyclist in Plain Sight
Surprisingly, Khalife had appeared like any ordinary cyclist pedaling along the Grand Union Canal in Northolt, West London, wearing casual attire and carrying a sleeping bag, a change of clothes, a bottle of water, and a Waitrose cool bag with food. How he acquired these items remained unclear, as did the question of whether he had assistance.
A Cocky Captive
Witnesses recall Khalife’s audacious demeanor during his arrest. He laughed at the officers and even winked at passersby while being handcuffed. One witness said, “The guy looked up at me, winked and started laughing. I thought, how arrogant is that?” Video footage captured him sitting on the ground surrounded by officers, still chuckling.
A Massive Manhunt Concludes
Metropolitan Police’s Counter-Terrorism Commander, Dominic Murphy, highlighted the significant police effort that went into capturing Khalife. Despite being on the run for 75 hours, Khalife cooperated during his arrest. He had managed to escape from Wandsworth Prison by strapping himself to the bottom of a food delivery lorry, dressed in a prison-issue chef’s uniform.
In Custody
Khalife now finds himself in custody, facing charges of being unlawfully at large and being an escaped prisoner. The search for him had intensified, with reported sightings narrowing the hunt to Chiswick, West London, before his eventual capture in Northolt.
No Wider Network?
Ex-Met detective Peter Bleksley speculated that Khalife’s limited travel of just 12 miles in four days suggests he did not have external assistance. Bleksley noted, “In four days, he didn’t get very far. To me, that would suggest that although there was pre-planning inside the prison, he didn’t have anybody out on his side.”
Authorities Respond
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his gratitude to the police and the public for their efforts in capturing Khalife. An investigation into how Khalife managed to break out of the Category B prison, given his serious charges, is underway.
Conclusion
As the legal process unfolds, Khalife’s fate hangs in the balance. He may find himself behind bars in a Category A prison, such as Belmarsh in South East London. One thing is clear: his capture marks a significant victory for law enforcement after a high-stakes manhunt.