09 September 2023 , 10:41
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Terror suspect Daniel Khalife has been arrested in Chiswick, west London, and is in police custody, the Metropolitan Police said.
The Metropolitan Police said terror suspect Daniel Khalife was arrested just before 11am on Saturday after escaping HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday. The force issued a short statement which said officers apprehended the 21-year-old in the Chiswick area and he has been taken into police custody. In their statement, the Met Police said: “We would like to thank the public and media for their support throughout our investigation to locate Khalife and we will provide a further update on his arrest in due course.”
Officers swarmed the area this morning as The Metropolitan Police said officers would be in Chiswick to carry out “intensive search activity” throughout the day. Officers were seen stopping and checking cars in the area with cops asking residents for their IDs and looking in boots of cars on Church Street and Chiswick Lane South. Armed police officers were also seen searching up and down the road, according to reports from the scene. A police boat was spotted on the River Thames close to the roads and police dogs have also been at the scene.
Police dog unit vehicles are seen in Chiswick House & Gardens in west London on the hunt for terror suspect Daniel Khalife (Peter Macdiarmid/LNP)Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he is “very pleased” at the arrest of Khalife. Speaking to broadcasters at the G20 summit venue in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said: “I’m very pleased with the news and my thanks to the police officers for their fantastic work over the past couple of days, but also to the public who came forward with an enormous number of leads to help the police in their inquiries. “It’s good news that we captured the person concerned. As people already know, the Justice Secretary has initiated an inquiry into the circumstances of his escape and that work will continue. And this is obviously very welcome news. And again, my thanks to the police but also to the public for their help.”
Meanwhile Home Office minister Chris Philp congratulated the police for their “rapid and effective” work. The policing minister wrote on social media: “Great work by the Met Police. Well done for a rapid and effective piece of work to catch this fugitive. “An example of policing at its best. Congratulations to all Officers involved in this operation.”
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Police in Chiswick House & Gardens area in west London hunting for Daniel Khalife (Peter Macdiarmid/LNP)This morning the Met released and update saying they were aiming their search at the Chiswick area following reports from members of the public. Previously the force had been focussing their efforts on the Wandsworth area after a member of the public reported seeing Khalife emerge from under a vehicle and walk in the direction of Wandsworth centre. In a statement, the force said: “This activity comes after intelligence-led activity and some confirmed sightings in that area overnight, including calls from members of the public.”
Territorial Support Group vans and unmarked police cars had been spotted in the area early on Saturday. Chiswick resident Brenda MacDonald said she had seen “loads of vans” and helicopters as police searched the area. The 78-year-old told reporters: “I guessed it was something to do with (Khalife) because of him landing in Wandsworth. It is not far to get here. They have got to catch him because it was silly enough that they let him get out.”
Armed police in the Chiswick area in west London as the hunt for terror suspect Daniel Khalife enters its fourth day (PA)Will Lewis lives on Chiswick Lane South where the police are searching for the former soldier. The 23-year-old said this morning: “I heard he had been seen around west London and we have all said he could be around here. We saw the description of him so we are going to keep our eyes peeled. It’s clearly developing quite quickly. It’s a really nice area. There are lots of people just going about their daily lives, running. It’s very safe, I have never seen any disturbance around here. It is usually quiet as well.”
The force, which had issued a £20,000 reward for the fugitive, said this morning Khalife was believed to be wearing a black baseball cap, black t-shirt and dark-coloured bottoms and carrying a small bag or case. They had previously released a picture of the chef clothes he had been wearing when he escaped.