Former British soldier Daniel Khalife found guilty of espionage for Iran

A jury at Woolwich Crown Court found Daniel Khalife, 23, a former British soldier, guilty of espionage for Iran on Thursday and charged with the breach of the Official Secrets Act and Terrorism Act, involving the collection of intelligence beneficial to Iran.
However, the court acquitted him of allegations regarding planting fake explosive devices at his military barracks.
The prosecution said that Khalife had transmitted classified information, including special forces personnel details, to Iranian intelligence operatives. They characterised his actions as deliberately deceptive, particularly his claims about aspiring to become a spy.
Meanwhile, Khalife in his defence, acknowledged communications with Iranian government representatives but insisted it was part of a strategy to serve as a British double agent, an idea he claimed was inspired by the television series “Homeland.”
“I wanted to utilize my background to further our national security,” he said to the jury.
His defence counsel, Gul Nawaz Hussein, described Khalife’s espionage ambitions as unrealistic and immature, stating his client resembled more “Scooby Doo” than “007.”
The case gained significant public attention following Khalife’s September 2023 prison break from Wandsworth Prison, south London. He escaped by securing himself beneath a delivery vehicle, leading to a three-day manhunt before his capture on a canal towpath.
The incident highlighted serious deficiencies in Britain’s prison infrastructure, prompting an ongoing investigation into the escape’s circumstances and potential accomplices.
While Khalife admitted to the prison escape during his trial, he maintained his innocence regarding the espionage charges.
Daniel Khalife enlisted in the British Army when he was 16 and was posted to the Royal Corps of Signals, a unit specialising in communications that works alongside battlefield forces, special forces and intelligence units.
His application to join intelligence services was rejected due to his Iranian maternal heritage.
At age 17, he established contact with an individual linked to Iranian intelligence and began transmitting information. He received NATO secret security clearance during a joint exercise at Fort Cavazos in Texas in early 2021.
UK security officials discovered Khalife’s Iranian connections only after he approached MI6, Britain’s foreign intelligence service, proposing to serve as a double agent.
He contacted MI6 without revealing his identity, claiming he had gained his Iranian handlers’ confidence and received compensation through a bag containing $2,000 cash ($1,578 pounds) left in a north London park.
Prosecutors confirmed that certain army documents were authentic and used evidence from Khalife’s mobile phones, personal notes and surveillance recordings to demonstrate his collection and distribution of classified material.
“He surreptitiously sought out and obtained copies of secret and sensitive information which he knew were protected and passed these on to individuals he believed to be acting on behalf of the Iranian state,” said Bethan David of the Crown Prosecution Service.
“The sharing of the information could have exposed military personnel to serious harm, or a risk to life, and prejudiced the safety and security of the United Kingdom,” David added.