Former British soldier Daniel Khalife, 23, is standing trial on charges of espionage and terrorism after allegedly gathering sensitive military information for Iran, including details about special forces personnel. Khalife, who served in the British Army’s Royal Corps of Signals, is accused of using his access to classified systems to collect data, which he then attempted to pass on to Iranian intelligence handlers. He denies all charges.
Prosecutors at Woolwich Crown Court outlined how Khalife allegedly offered to work for Iranian intelligence.
The court heard that he took a photo of a handwritten list containing the names of 15 soldiers, including members of the Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS), Britain’s elite special forces units. He allegedly obtained these details from a military spreadsheet in June 2021 and further investigated soldiers’ personal information using an internal human resources system.
Khalife’s alleged espionage activities date back to 2019, when he reportedly established contact with Iranian intelligence via a phone number using the +98 Iranian country code. By 2020, prosecutors say he was exchanging messages with an Iranian handler referred to as “David Smith.” According to the prosecution, Khalife detailed internal military systems and offered his services to the Iranian government. In August 2020, he allegedly traveled to Istanbul, intending to meet Iranian agents, but the meeting did not take place. Khalife later sent an audio message explaining that the trip “went sour” and the meeting had not been properly organized.
Despite this failed rendezvous, Khalife continued to collect and share classified military information. In early 2021, while deployed to Fort Hood in Texas for a military exercise, he allegedly took screenshots of secret systems and a password sheet. During this time, Khalife was granted a high-level NATO security clearance, raising concerns given earlier reports that his Iranian heritage could have disqualified him from such sensitive positions.
Khalife’s trial also covers his escape from HMP Wandsworth in September 2023, where he was being held on remand for espionage-related charges. Prosecutors claim that he used his trusted role in the prison kitchen to strap himself to the underside of a food delivery truck and flee. A nationwide manhunt followed, and Khalife was apprehended three days later on a canal towpath in west London. Authorities recovered cash, including counterfeit money, and a black transit van connected to his escape.
Khalife’s defense centers on his ambitions to work in military intelligence. He claimed in an electronic note that after being told he would likely fail the advanced security vetting process due to his ethnic background, he “decided to start [his] own intel operation” to demonstrate his capabilities. His defense argues that his actions were motivated by a desire to prove his suitability for intelligence work, rather than an intention to commit espionage for Iran.
Further complicating the case, the court revealed that Khalife had twice contacted MI6, Britain’s foreign intelligence service, offering to act as a double agent. In his messages to MI6, he disclosed his interactions with Iranian operatives and claimed he had sent them falsified documents. He stated that he hoped to use his connection with Iranian agents to work covertly for the UK. However, there is no evidence MI6 responded to his overtures.
The trial, which is expected to last several weeks, continues to explore Khalife’s alleged activities, his motivations, and the broader implications of potential security breaches within the British Army.
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