LONDON — A manhunt has been launched for a former soldier suspected of terror offenses who escaped from prison on Wednesday morning.

Daniel Abed Khalife, 21, was awaiting trial after being accused of leaving fake bombs at a military base. He escaped from HMP Wandsworth, London, and is thought to still be in the city.

He is 6ft 2ins and was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, red, white checkered trousers and brown steel toe cap boots, police said.

Police said he escaped HMP Wandsworth, a category B prison in southwest London, at around 07:50 BST.

Khalife has links to the Kingston area and police said he is “most likely” still in London.

Members of the public are urged not to approach Khalife and to call 999 immediately if they spot him.

Cmdr 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.”

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 Defense Joint Personnel Administration System which was “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism” in 2021.

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. — BBC