Daniel Khalife, a former soldier, was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison for spying for Iran and escape from prison.
In September 2023. year, Khalife (23) caused an intense chase when he escaped from HMP Wandsworth prison hiding under the food delivery truck. At the time, he was in custody because of the espionage charges.
In November last year, the jury in the Crown Court in Woolwich was found guilty of violating the laws on official secrets and the Law on Terrorism because Iran forwarded information while serving in the army. During the trial, he also recognized the escape from prison before he caught his detective in civilian clothes on the channel. He was released for the charges of a fake bomb, writes Guardian.
On Monday, the Judge of Cheema-Grubb in the Crown Court in Woolwich said a fine of 14 years and three months in prison.
The sentence includes six years for violation of the Law on Official Secrets and the Law on Terrorism, and the additional two years and three months to escape from prison. The judge stated that the sentences will flow in a row. She added that the older perpetrator would receive a much longer punishment for these works.
In the reasoning of the verdict, the Judge Cheema-Grubb said, “The primary goal of this penalty must be deterrent other than similar behavior.” She also pointed out that Khalife was driven by a “selfish desire to show”.
During the trial, Khalife was discovered “to present military members of serious danger” by collecting sensitive information and their forwarding Iranian agents in exchange for money.
The judge stated that Khalife used the safety failure in the military computer system to record the names of soldiers, including seven members of the special forces. She said it was a “very serious example of” violations of anti-terrorist laws.
The Prosecution claimed that Khalife was playing a “cynical game”, presenting himself as a double agent who wanted to help British intelligence services, while he actually collected a “large amount of limited and confidential materials.”
Judge Cheema-Grubb said, “After you have passed the oath to faithfulness, you are guided by personal dissatisfaction to issue your colleagues and superiors. Your actions are characterized by planning and lasted for more than two years. “
“You were aware that Iranians had technology that can access your mobile phone and follow where you are, and thus your colleagues. Maybe some of your initial materials were fake and uncertain, but you didn’t stop when you realized that home security services would not react to your offers. “
She added: “The very fact that you started this dangerous and fantastic idea shows your immaturity and lack of wisdom. What you thought it was appropriate to – unauthorized, unskilled and uninformed younger soldier – to communicate with the enemy state, may be the clearest indicator of the degree of your madness and your failure to understand the basic risks you represented “.
(Vijesti.ba)
