Daniel Abed Khalife will appear in court after the terror suspect has been charged following his escape from Wandsworth Prison.
A 75-hour nationwide manhunt came to a dramatic end on Saturday morning when the former soldier was tackled off a bike and arrested by a plainclothes counter-terrorism officer on a canal towpath near Rowdell Road in Northolt, west London. He is currently in police custody.
The Metropolitan Police said the 21-year-old will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday after being charged with escaping custody at HMP Wandsworth while on remand there pending trial at the Old Bailey, contrary to common law.
Khalife – who was found with a sleeping bag, change of clothes, bottle of water and Waitrose cool bag – laughed at police and winked at passersby during his arrest, witness Ethan Andrews, 20, told The Sun.
The suspected terrorist was believed to have escaped from HMP Wandsworth in London on Wednesday morning by strapping himself to the bottom of a delivery lorry after leaving the prison kitchen in a cook’s uniform.
Former prisons minister Rory Stewart told Sky News this indicated Khalife received help with his escape, saying: “It seems clear if he had strapping underneath this vehicle, that there was some kind of collusion and support.”