Spy-accused ex-serviceman left device at barracks in bomb hoax plot, court told

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A former British soldier accused of passing secret information to Iran fled his barracks and left a “strange and dodgy” looking device on his desk which fellow soldiers thought was “a makeshift bomb”, a court has heard.

Daniel Khalife, 23, is accused of perpetrating a bomb hoax at his barracks in Beaconside, Staffordshire, in January 2023.

A 100-metre cordon was set up around the device until a bomb disposal unit confirmed the silver coloured gas canisters held together with green tape were not dangerous.

The former soldier is alleged to have fled the barracks when he realised he would face criminal charges over allegations he passed classified information to Iran’s intelligence service.

Prosecutors say Khalife prepared the hoax to delay the search for him.

He was ultimately found and arrested on January 26 in the town of Stone, not far from his barracks, the court heard.

Khalife initially gave officers a fake identity, and was carrying phones, car keys and £350 in cash, jurors were told.

In September, while on remand, he is alleged to have escaped from HMP Wandsworth by tying himself to the underside of a food delivery truck using bedsheets.

In December 2022, having been interviewed by police, Khalife was told his case had been referred to the CPS for a charging decision, the court was told previously.

On January 3 2023, after a Christmas break, the then signaller did not report for parade, the court heard.

Army personnel were tasked with searching his one-man room and found a device on his desk initially believed to be a bomb, the jury heard.

Lance Corporal Aaron Barrett said he noticed what he thought were “four energy type bottles”.

The device, which was next to a bottle of orange screen wash, “had wires coming out the top of them”, the soldier continued.

Jurors were shown pictures of the silver coloured gas canisters which were held together with green tape, and had green and white wire attached.

Asked what he initially thought the bottles might be, L/Cpl Barrett said: “A makeshift bomb, straight away.”

He said he approached the item “tentatively, very tentatively, just in case”, before reporting what he had seen to his seniors.

A fellow lance corporal who was also present said the device seemed “strange and dodgy”, a written statement read to the court said.

“If I’d seen a timer I could have thought that it was a bomb and run out,” the soldier added.

Some of those who saw the device were worried it might be dangerous, but Warrant Officer Mark Morrison, who later arrived in the room, pulled wires out to prove it was not real, jurors heard.

The warrant officer said he noticed a large amount of Khalife’s clothes were missing, including underwear and socks, a statement read to the court said.

On January 4, Khalife was reported to the police as a missing person, and officers visited the barracks, the court heard.

A bomb disposal unit was asked to attend, and a 100-metre cordon was later set up with five accommodation blocks evacuated until it was confirmed the device was not viable, the court heard.

A note was left near the device, which made it clear Khalife knew he could soon face criminal charges, the court was told.

It said: “You can say with certainty that you will go to prison for a very long time. Your options are suicide or absconding.”

The note went on: “Once in Iran you can manage life again and travel to interesting places freely.”

As well as the prison escape, Khalife also faces charges contrary to the Official Secrets Act and Terrorism Act.

He denies all of the charges, and the trial continues.