A former British Army soldier has been accused of espionage for Iran and of escaping from prison. During his trial at Woolwich Crown Court, Daniel Khalife testified that he had agreed to travel to Iran but intentionally disrupted the mission. He recounted how, in August 2020, he flew to Turkey with plans to continue to Tehran but informed his Iranian contacts that he was too scared to make that final leg of the journey.

Prosecutors allege that Khalife gathered sensitive military data for Iran and later escaped Wandsworth prison in London by hiding beneath a food truck on September 6, 2023. Khalife has denied all accusations against him. In court, he explained that his handlers wished for him to fly to Iran as it was customary for operatives, recalling that at the time, he was just 18 years old and serving in the military.

Khalife revealed that he chose Mahan Air, an airline linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as it was the only option available for travel without a visa. Upon arriving in Istanbul, he claimed he told his handlers he could not board a flight to Iran because he feared the aircraft’s age. He expressed concern about the potential fallout if his handlers discovered that his reasons were fabricated.

The trial also revealed that authorities found counterfeit documents in Khalife’s possession, allegedly posing as communications from government officials and military personnel. To reassure his handlers of his presence in Turkey, Khalife sent them a video from a hotel after they expressed doubts about his whereabouts. He indicated that they even dispatched someone to monitor him.

Upon returning to the UK, Khalife sent an audio message to an Iranian contact claiming he had delivered a package, which he later admitted was untrue. Addressing evidence against him, including images on his phone deemed potentially useful to foreign entities, Khalife argued these were screenshots from an internal Army communication system sent by his commanding officer.

He stated that using WhatsApp for official orders was against protocol but noted that his commander often preferred sending quick screenshots over detailed messages. When questioned about images sent by another officer, Khalife insisted they were simply forwarded to him.

Additionally, Khalife mentioned receiving lists of promoted soldiers via WhatsApp and explained how he identified Special Forces members through an Army booking system flaw. He claimed this discovery would impress British security services and emphasized that it demonstrated his ability to identify security vulnerabilities.

Khalife denies allegations of providing information to Iranian intelligence while serving in the Army and maintains that he has always had a knack for highlighting security weaknesses.