Travellers held up at airports including Glasgow amid hunt for terrorist suspect

Hundreds of passengers at airports in Scotland are being held in huge queues amid a UK-wide hunt for a terrorist suspect.

Daniel Abed Khalife, a serving member of the British Army, was arrested in relation to terrorism offences and has escaped from prison.

The Metropolitan Police issued an urgent appeal to the public to help trace the 21-year-old.

He was reported to police after escaping from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday, September 6.

Khalife was on remand at HMP Wandsworth, awaiting trial in relation to terrorism and Official Secrets Act offences.

It is believed he escaped at approximately 7.50am

Extra security checks are taking place at Glasgow Airport as well as others across the UK including Gatwick and Manchester.

Khalife was last seen wearing a chef’s uniform – a white t-shirt, red and white chequered trousers and brown steel toe cap boots.

It is understood that he possibly escaped in a food truck delivering supplies to the prison.

He is of slim build, has short brown hair and is around 6ft 2ins tall.

Khalife has links to the Kingston area. It is believed he most likely remains in the London area at this time, although he may have travelled further afield.

The force said that a nationwide manhunt “involving every force in the country” is under way.

We are urgently appealing to trace Daniel Khalife, who escaped from Wandsworth Prison this morning.

He has links to #Kingston – police efforts to trace him are ongoing. He should not be approached.

If you have info on his whereabouts, call 999 quoting CAD 1631/06SEP23 pic.twitter.com/Q7B9uKV9uJ
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) September 6, 2023

If seen, the public are advised not to approach Khalife and to call 999 immediately, quoting reference CAD 1631/06SEP23.

Officers are keen to hear from anyone with information that might assist with locating Khalife – even if it doesn’t relate to a live sighting.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s counter terrorism command said: “We have a team of officers who are making extensive and urgent enquiries in order to locate and detain Khalife as quickly as possible. However, the public can help us as well and should anyone see Khalife, or have any information as to where he might be, then please call 999 immediately.

“I also want to reassure the public that we have no information which indicates, nor any reason to believe that Khalife poses a threat to the wider public, but our advice if you do see him is not to approach him and call 999 straight away.”

An alert was issued to UK ports and airports over Khalife’s escape from HMP Wandsworth, the Met Police says amid reports of long queues at border points.

In a new statement, the force said: “An alert was issued by the Counter Terrorism Command earlier today in relation to Khalife through established operational briefing channels to relevant UK police and law enforcement agencies, including those at UK ports and borders.”

The UK Home Office said it could not comment further on an on-going police investigation but confirmed the Border Force were assisting police.