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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Matt Watts and Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Police make second arrest over prisoner Daniel Khalife's 'escape' from HMP Wandsworth

Police have arrested a woman as part of their investigation into the alleged escape of prisoner Daniel Khalife from HMP Wandsworth.

The 25-year-old woman was arrested at an address in east London on suspicion of assisting an offender, the Metropolitan Police said.

She was taken to a London police station for questioning before being released on bail until a date in late April.

The arrest follows that of a 24-year-old man on January 17 on suspicion of assisting an offender. He remains on bail to a date in late April.

Neither the 24-year-old man nor the 25-year-old woman arrested are members of staff at HMP Wandsworth, the police said.

Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Rees, Head of Operations for the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, which is leading the investigation, said: "We continue to carry out a thorough investigation into the full circumstances of the alleged escape of Khalife, and we have now arrested two other people as part of this.

“I know there continues to be a great deal of interest in this case, but I must remind the public that Khalife is awaiting trial.

"It is therefore extremely important that people do not report, comment upon or share information which could in any way prejudice the future court proceedings."

At the time of his alleged escape, Khalife was awaiting trial on claims he had breached the Official Secrets Act by gathering information that may be useful to an enemy of the UK. It is said he also carried out a bomb hoax and obtained sensitive Army personnel details which would be useful to terrorists.

All of the allegations against Khalife will be heard together in an eight-week trial on October 7. He has denied all the charges.

Police said Khalife was arrested on a canal towpath in west London on September 9 after being pulled off a push bike by a plain-clothes counter-terrorism officer.

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