A manhunt has been launched for a soldier suspected of terror offences who escaped from prison on Wednesday morning.
Daniel Abed Khalife, 21, was awaiting trial at HMP Wandsworth after being accused of leaving fake bombs at a military base.
Police believe he is “likely” still in London but may have travelled further.
There are delays at airports across the UK as extra security checks are carried out at the border.
Mr Khalife is 6ft 2ins and was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, red and white chequered trousers and brown steel toe cap boots, police said.
He escaped from HMP Wandsworth, a category B prison in south-west London, at around 07:50 BST.
Mr Khalife has links to the Kingston area and police say he is “most likely” still in London, although he may have travelled further afield.
Members of the public are urged not to approach Mr Khalife and to call 999 immediately if they spot him.
Cdr 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 or the 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.”
Following reports of airport delays, a Met Police spokesperson 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 enforcements agencies, including those at UK ports and borders.”
Mr Khalife was on remand awaiting trial in relation to terrorism and Official Secrets Act offences.
In February, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard he allegedly left fake devices at MOD Stafford “with the intention of inducing in another the belief the item was likely to explode or ignite”.
A previous court appearance heard he “elicited” personal information about soldiers from the Ministry of Defence Joint Personnel Administration System which was “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism” in 2021.
Mr Khalife had been based at MOD Stafford – also known as Beacon Barracks – when he is alleged to have committed the offences.
He disappeared from the base on 2 January after the alleged bomb hoax, a court previously heard, before he was arrested weeks later on 26 January.
A prosecutor told Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 28 January there had been “active efforts to look for him” and he was “arrested in or near his car”.
After that court appearance, he was held at HMP Belmarsh. He was not released on bail and it is currently unclear when he was transferred to HMP Wandsworth.
Mr Khalife appeared in court on 28 January, 17 February and 21 July, according to the PA News agency archive. By July he was at Wandsworth prison, appearing for his court date that month by video link.
He was being held on remand pending a trial due to begin on 13 November at Woolwich Crown Court.
Prison escapes have been rare in recent years, with just five since 2017, and fewer than 20 since 2010.
The last infamous escape involving terrorism inmates was the escape from Whitemoor prison in 1994 by IRA prisoners.
A January 2022 report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons said a “serious security breach had led to an escape” from HMP Wandsworth in 2019.
The report said the inspectorate had been given “some assurance that action to prevent further escapes had been taken” but said “current local security data evidenced some concerns in the physical aspects of security”.__BBC.com
