Full timeline after terror suspect Daniel Abed Khalife escaped from prison strapped to delivery van as national manhunt continues for second day

As the national manhunt to trace terror suspect Daniel Abed Khalife continues for a second day, the Met Police have revealed his escape route that was taken by a delivery van he strapped himself onto.

The 21-year-old who was awaiting trail at Wandsworth Prison for allegedly planting a fake bomb and gathering information that might be useful to terrorists or enemies of the UK, was reported missing from the prison shortly before 8am on Wednesday (September 6).

Airports and ports across the UK were immediately put on alert, sparking huge queues at Border Control, including at Manchester Airport as a national manhunt was launched by the Met Police and Counter Terror cops.

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On Thursday (September 7) the search continued with police confirming that, despite calls from the public, there have been no confirmed sightings of Khalife and that it is 'absolutely possible' he has left the country, however that the focus of the search for the runaway ex-soldier remains on London.

Daniel Abed Khalife was reported to police after escaping from HMP Wandsworth

Timeline of events:

  • The van that Mr Khalife is understood to have used to make his escape left HMP Wandsworth around 7:32am on September 6.

  • The van left HMP Wandsworth at 07:32 taking a right turn out of gates onto Heathfield Road. It then turned left onto Magdalen Road. The van then turned left onto Trinity Road (A214) up to the Wandsworth Roundabout. It took the first exit onto Swandon Way (A217).

  • Mr Khalife was then declared missing minutes later at around 7.50am.

  • The Met Police were notified at 8.15am and took action to try and track down the delivery van that had left the prison.

  • At 08:37, police officers stopped the van in Upper Richmond Road, near the junction with Carlton Drive. Officers spoke to the driver and carried out a thorough search where they discovered strapping on the underside of the van. This was an hour and five minutes after he left the site.

  • An investigation was launched, with police and border officials at a number of airports and ports across the UK put on alert by the Counter Terrorism Command. This saw large queues building, including at Manchester Airport as all documentation was checked.

  • The Met Police issued a public appeal for information, along with Mr Khalife's mugshot, announcing that he was at HMP Wandsworth and awaiting trial. It was revealed he was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, red and white chequered trousers and brown steel toe cap boots.

  • On Thursday, the national search continued, with the Met Police announcing that a 'significant' operation was underway involving more than 150 officers and working with Government agencies and the Ministry of Justice.

  • Long queues formed on the M20 as the hunt for Mr Khalife continued, leading to 'enhanced port security checks' at Dover. Part of the motorway was also shut as an 'emergency measure'.

  • Despite reports of sightings and calls from the public, The Met police were forced to say that there had been 'no confirmed sightings' and reissued an appeal for the public to call 999. They added that it was 'possible' he had already left the country.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Mr Murphy said: “This was a really busy area of London and we’ve had no confirmed sightings in any of that information, which is a little unusual, and perhaps testament to Daniel Khalife’s ingenuity in his escape and some of his movements after his escape.

“It’s important that we remember that we have some of the best military in the world here in the UK and he was trained. He was a trained soldier – so ultimately he has skills that perhaps some sections of the public don’t have.

“He’s a very resourceful individual, clearly, and our experience of him shows that, so nothing is off the table with him at the moment.”

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