Duncan Gardham

Daniel Khalife misspelt ‘secret’ on publicly available document to please Iranian spy handler, court told Khalife, the 23-year-old who escaped from Wandsworth prison last year, is accused of passing secrets to the Iranians for more than two years.

November 15, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A man accused of spying for Iran allegedly added a misspelling of the word “secret” to a publicly available document in an attempt to please his Iranian handler. Daniel Khalife, who has admitted escaping from Wandsworth prison, wrote “secert” instead […]

Daniel Khalife entered ‘new phase’ of spying when he was on exercise in the US, court hears Daniel Khalife is accused of spending two years passing secrets to the Iranians while serving with the Royal Corps of Signals, but denies the charges.

November 13, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) Daniel Khalife, the former soldier accused of spying for Iran, entered a “new phase” of his relationship with his handlers during a series of calls from a base in the US, a court has heard. Khalife told his trial his […]

Daniel Khalife pleads guilty to escaping from prison Khalife, who is accused of spending two years passing secrets to the Iranians while serving with the Royal Corps of Signals, escaped from prison under a food catering van on 6 September last year — causing a nationwide manhunt.

November 11, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A former soldier accused of spying for Iran has pleaded guilty to escaping from prison under a food catering truck and going on the run for four days while he was awaiting trial. Daniel Khalife, 23, from Kingston, southwest London, […]

Daniel Khalife arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran after double agent offer, trial hears Daniel Khalife, who is also accused of escaping from Wandsworth Prison, allegedly spent two years collecting secrets while serving with the Royal Signals Regiment and passing them to Iranian agents.

October 24, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A soldier was only arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran after he twice emailed MI6 and then rang MI5 twice offering to be a double agent, a court has heard. Daniel Khalife, 23, from Kingston, southwest London, is accused […]

Soldier Daniel Khalife accused of prison escape had earlier been on the run after bomb hoax, court hears Khalife, 23, is alleged to have fled the barracks when he realised he would face criminal charges over claims he passed classified information to Iran's intelligence service.

October 22, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A soldier accused of escaping from Wandsworth prison had earlier spent more than three weeks on the run after leaving a fake bomb on his desk at an army barracks, a court heard. Following his arrest after he went absent […]

Daniel Khalife: Soldier boasted about stealing ‘crypto,’ trial hears Khalife, 23, denies the charges against him and says he only handed over fabricated documents to Iranian agents in the hope of being recruited by MI6.

October 21, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A soldier boasted about stealing “crypto” shortly after a USB stick containing secret material went missing, a trial has heard. Daniel Khalife, 23, from Kingston, south-west London, is accused of spending two years collecting secrets while serving with the Royal […]

Man threatened hostages over scientist’s jailing, inquest told

August 24, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(BBC) A British man who had been investigated by MI5 threatened to shoot worshippers at a US synagogue as he demanded the release of a Pakistani scientist jailed in the country, an inquest has heard. Malik Faisal Akram, from Blackburn, Lancashire, was […]

Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary jailed for at least 28 years for directing terrorist propaganda organisation Police in Britain, the US and Canada ran separate investigations as they became concerned that Anjem Choudary was seeking to recruit a new generation of followers.

July 30, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) Anjem Choudary has been jailed for life with a minimum of 28 years for directing a terrorist propaganda operation aimed at encouraging attacks and spreading messages of “hate and division.” Choudary, 57, from Ilford, East London, helped found al-Muhajiroun (ALM) […]

Anjem Choudary facing life in jail after being found guilty of directing terrorism During a lecture Choudary gave, he boasted he had been labelled 'the number one radicaliser in Britain,' adding: 'That is a badge of honour for me. It's a medallion on my chest. What do you want to call me? An extremist? Fanatic? All of these.'

July 23, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) Anjem Choudary, the notorious Islamist preacher, is facing life in jail after he was found guilty of directing a terrorist organisation following an unprecedented joint investigation by MI5, Scotland Yard, the New York Police Department, and Canadian police. Choudary, 57, […]

Preacher Anjem Choudary says he performed marriage for Woolwich killer Choudary is accused of directing a banned terrorist group after his release from jail for encouraging support for ISIS.

July 9, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary has told a court he performed a marriage ceremony for one of the Woolwich killers. Choudary is accused of directing a banned terrorist group called al Muhajiroun after his release from jail for encouraging support for […]

Trainee nurse guilty of plot to launch suicide bomb attack on hospital The attack was prevented by a hospital patient who spotted the 28-year-old and persuaded him to abandon the plan, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

July 2, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A trainee nurse has been found guilty of attempting to launch an ISIS-inspired suicide attack using a homemade bomb on the hospital where he worked. Mohammad Sohail Farooq, 28, was arrested outside St James’s Hospital in Leeds with a viable […]

West Yorkshire Police officer given community order over pro-Hamas WhatsApp posts Mohammed Adil pleaded guilty to posting two images supporting the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the banned terrorist group, following the 7 October attacks in Israel.

June 4, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A police officer from West Yorkshire has been given a community order after posting images of Hamas fighters on Whatsapp, days after the 7 October attacks on Israel. Mohammed Adil, from Wibsey in Bradford, escaped a prison sentence for supporting […]

Hartlepool: Man who prowled streets before stabbing ‘defenceless’ grandfather ‘for people of Gaza’ jailed Ahmed Ali Alid, 45, told police after his arrest that the attack was 'for the people of Gaza' and that if he had access to a machine gun he would have killed more people.

May 17, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A terrorist who stabbed a stranger to death in an attack motivated by the conflict in Gaza has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 44 years. Ahmed Ali Alid, 45, an asylum seeker who claimed […]

Mother facing jail for failing to tell police about son’s involvement in plot to bomb London Nabeela Anjum failed to tell police about what she knew of her son Sameer Anjum's cooperation with another terrorist.

May 14, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A mother is facing jail after she failed to inform police that her teenage son knew about a terrorist plot to bomb central London. Nabeela Anjum, 48, a biomedical scientist at St James’s Hospital in Leeds, tried to persuade her […]

Moroccan asylum seeker guilty of murdering stranger in rampage told officers it was ‘for the people of Gaza’ Ahmed Ali Alid, 45, told police after his arrest that the attack was 'for the people of Gaza' and that if he had access to a machine gun he would have killed more people.

April 25, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A Moroccan asylum seeker has been found guilty of murdering a stranger in a rampage motivated by the conflict in Gaza. Ahmed Ali Alid, 45, attempted to kill his housemate, a Christian convert, stabbing him in his bed as he […]

Footage shows police arrive at hostel before man ‘killed pensioner for Gaza’ Muslim Ahmed Alid is charged with stabbing Terence Carney, 70, who was out walking in Hartlepool town centre, eight days after Hamas launched its attack on Israel.

April 16, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) Footage has been shown to a jury of the moment armed police arrived at a hostel before a Moroccan asylum seeker stabbed a pensioner in the street “for Gaza.” Ahmed Ali Alid, 45, allegedly attempted to kill his housemate, Javed […]

Moroccan asylum seeker Ahmed Ali Alid murdered ‘defenceless pensioner’ in rampage motivated by Gaza, court hears The 45-year-old is accused of attempting to kill his housemate, a former Muslim who converted to Christianity, before stabbing pensioner Terence Carney to death in Hartlepool.

April 11, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A Moroccan asylum seeker murdered a “defenceless” pensioner in a rampage motivated by the conflict in Gaza, a court has heard. Ahmed Ali Alid, 45, attempted to kill his housemate, Javed Nouri, a former Muslim who converted to Christianity, because […]

Khairi Saadallah: MI5 ‘triaged’ terrorist four times but Reading stabbings could not have been stopped, inquest hears Despite the amount of intelligence the security service had on Khairi Saadallah, a senior manager at MI5 said no 'proportionate actions' could have been taken that would have prevented the terrorist attack.

February 19, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) MI5 “triaged” a violent offender four times before he carried out a terrorist knife attack and killed three men in a park in Reading, an inquest has heard. The agency received intelligence including threats by Khairi Saadallah to “blow himself […]

Khairi Saadallah: Police officer unaware terrorist had knife in flat day before Reading attack, inquest told Recalling the visit to Khairi Saadallah, PC Lewis Perham told the inquest he 'didn't believe he was in crisis when I met him' and was able to hold a conversation.

February 14, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A police officer who paid a “welfare visit” to a violent offender the day before he launched a terrorist attack has described how he was unaware the man had a knife for the attack in his flat. Khairi Saadallah was […]

Khairi Saadallah: Brother of terrorist warned police he could ‘harm himself or others’ day before he killed three, inquest told The brother — a care worker in his mid-30s — said police had visited Khairi Saadallah the evening before the attack, who dismissed concerns about him.

January 24, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) The brother of a terrorist who killed three people in a park in Reading rang police the day before the attack, warning he “could harm himself or others,” an inquest has been told. Khairi Saadallah stabbed to death three men […]

Schoolboy arrested with kitchen knife in rucksack as he prepared ‘imminent’ attack on teacher, court hears The schoolboy, who cannot be named, had allegedly previously planned an attack at the Isle of Wight music festival using a pickup truck and knife, but dropped the plan.

January 17, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A 15-year-old schoolboy who converted to Islam was arrested with a kitchen knife in his rucksack as he prepared for an “imminent” attack on one of his teachers who made a joke about pork, a court has heard. The schoolboy, […]

Schoolboy planned attack on music festival and said he would ‘slice’ throat of teacher, court hears A jury has heard that a teenage Muslim convert looked up the Isle of Wight Festival as a potential target for a terror attack after developing an 'Islamic extremist mindset.'

January 16, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A 15-year-old schoolboy, who converted to Islam, planned to attack the Isle of Wight music festival using a vehicle and knife, a court has heard. The youth, who cannot be named, was arrested on the day of his alleged planned […]

Reading terror attack: ‘Time has stood still since stabbing,’ family of man killed tell inquest Khairi Saadallah was sentenced to a whole life order after he stabbed three men to death at Forbury Gardens, Reading, in June 2020.

January 15, 2024 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) The family of a man stabbed to death in a park in Reading during a terrorist attack have told the opening of an inquest that “time has stood still” since the attacks. Khairi Saadallah, a Libyan refugee, stabbed three men […]

Man accused of terror spying trip to London claims he took video of TV station in ‘wonder’ of architecture Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, 31, is on trial at the Old Bailey charged with attempting to collect information useful for terrorism. He claims he was 'in wonder' at the architecture in West London and was 'set up.'

December 14, 2023 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A Chechen-born man accused of being an “international terrorist” conducting hostile reconnaissance against a dissident Iranian TV station in West London has claimed he was “set up.” Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, 31, is accused of conducting surveillance on Iran International at the […]

Russian-speaking man accused of ‘hostile reconnaissance’ for TV station terror attack told police he was sightseeing in London Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev told security guards outside Iran International's former headquarters in Chiswick that he was in the area to visit a friend and to go sightseeing in London.

December 12, 2023 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A Russian-speaking man accused of conducting hostile reconnaissance for a terrorist attack on a dissident Iranian TV station in West London told police he was on a weekend sightseeing visit in the capital, a court has heard. Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, 31, […]

Man accused of planning terror attack on Leeds hospital admits possessing pressure cooker bomb Mohammad Farooq, 28, pleads guilty to a charge of possessing an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property. He denies engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts after allegedly planning attacks on St James's Hospital and an RAF base.

October 20, 2023 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A clinical support worker accused of planning terrorist attacks on a hospital in Leeds and an RAF base has admitted possessing a pressure cooker bomb. Mohammad Farooq is accused of targeting St James’s Hospital in Leeds after a failed attempt […]

Man pleads guilty to terrorism offences ahead of trial for allegedly planning attack on St James’s hospital in Leeds Mohammad Farooq, 27, is accused of taking a pressure cooker bomb to St James's Hospital in Leeds after a failed attempt to launch a terrorist attack on RAF Menwith Hill in North Yorkshire, motivated by an interest in radical Islam.

October 16, 2023 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A clinical support worker has pleaded guilty to terrorism offences ahead of his trial for allegedly planning an attack on a maternity hospital in Leeds and an RAF station in North Yorkshire. Mohammad Farooq, 27, from Roundhay in Leeds, is […]

‘Fourth ISIS Beatle’ Aine Davis pleads guilty to terrorism charges

October 16, 2023 Duncan Gardham

(ITV) A former drug dealer, alleged to be the fourth member of the so-called ISIS “Beatles” kidnap gang, has pleaded guilty to terrorism charges, after a failed bid by the home secretary to have him sent to the US. Aine Davis, 39, […]

Mohamad al Bared guilty of terror offence after designing ‘kamikaze’ drone for ISIS The PhD engineering student was inspired by Russian attacks in Ukraine.

September 28, 2023 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) An academic inspired by Russian attacks in Ukraine to design and build a “kamikaze” drone for ISIS has been found guilty of a terror offence. Mohamad al Bared, 26, a PhD engineering student from Coventry, adapted a fixed-wing drone to […]

Manchester Arena bombing inquiry: Chairman raises concerns about slow uptake of recommendations to monitor security services Chairman Sir John Saunders has suggested ways to track the progress of MI5 and Counter Terrorism Policing including an unpaid check-up meeting by his inquiry team.

July 4, 2023 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) There is no mechanism to make sure improvements have been made by MI5 after they made “mistakes” over the Manchester Arena bombing, the chairman of the inquiry has said. Sir John Saunders said there is no agreement on how to […]

Financial analyst jailed after creating bomb factory in a lock-up Asad Bhatti was described in court as a loner who had a deep-seated hatred for those he considered as 'hypocrites' — along with others for their ethnicity and sexuality. He was convicted of having a stash of bomb-making materials after police received a tip-off from a computer repair shop.

June 12, 2023 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A financial analyst from Surrey has been jailed for eight years for terrorism offences after he was caught with a bomb factory in a lock-up when he took his laptop in for repair. Asad Bhatti, 50, from Redhill, who worked […]

Twitter user who published image of severed head sentenced to five and a half years in prison As well as tweeting out a picture of French teacher Samuel Paty's severed head, he also sought to encourage attacks on the governments of countries he believed to be 'acting against Islam,' the prosecutor said.

May 11, 2023 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A Twitter user has been jailed for more than five years after using the platform to publish images encouraging the beheading of teachers for blasphemy against Islam. Ajmal Shahpal, 41, from Nottingham, made the comments shortly after a teacher was […]

Shabazz Suleman: British IS recruit who claimed he spent time in Syria ‘on Playstation’ pleads guilty to terror offence Shabazz Suleman, who was arrested after returning to Heathrow in 2021, previously insisted he spent most of his three years in terrorist territory playing PlayStation and riding his bike.

April 14, 2023 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A former grammar school pupil has pleaded guilty to travelling to Syria to join Islamic State, despite previously claiming he had spent his time there playing computer games. Shabazz Suleman had just completed his AS-levels at a grammar school in […]

Barber shop owner sent COVID grant money to Islamic State fighters, court hears

November 24, 2022 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A barber shop owner sent £25,000 to Islamic State (IS) fighters in Syria after claiming thousands of pounds in COVID grants, a court has heard. Tarek Namouz, 43, from west London, had received money from the government to assist his […]

Shamima Begum: Police and school ‘missed opportunities’ to stop her leaving UK, lawyers claim Questions have been raised over whether 'key indicators' that Ms Begum and her two school friends were at risk of being trafficked were missed.

November 22, 2022 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) The police and her school missed opportunities to stop Shamima Begum travelling to Syria and joining ISIS and should have stopped her, according to her lawyers. There were questions about whether “key indicators” that Ms Begum and her two school […]

Shamima Begum was sexually exploited by ISIS, appeal hearing told Ms Begum, now 23, left Britain with two friends from the Bethnal Green Academy in east London, who are thought to have been killed in the conflict.

November 21, 2022 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) Shamima Begum, the jihadi bride, was trafficked by ISIS for sexual exploitation, her lawyers have told a hearing to appeal against her deprivation of citizenship. She launched her main appeal against the decision, with her lawyers telling a tribunal: “Shamima […]

Drill rapping ‘terrorist’ Al Arfat Hassan ‘threatened blood and torment if his girlfriend left him,’ court hears Al Arfat Hassan, 19, from Enfield, told his girlfriend he would 'blow sh*t up' if she broke up with him and told her she couldn't visit her eight-year-old cousin without wearing a veil.

October 18, 2022 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) A drill rapping alleged terrorist threatened to bring “blood, terror and torment” when his girlfriend told her she was splitting up with him, a court has heard. Al Arfat Hassan, 19, had a series of arguments with a girl he […]

Revealed: The breadcrumb trail that identified the IS ‘Beatles’ Police followed a 'trail of very small breadcrumbs' to identify the British terrorists, but one piece of information a hostage felt was 'fairly unremarkable' turned out to be hugely significant.

August 17, 2022 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) Freed hostages were able to give British police key information identifying an IS kidnap gang nicknamed “The Beatles” which had held and tortured them, Scotland Yard has revealed. Officers have disclosed key breakthroughs that allowed them to identify the jihadis […]

Fishmongers’ Hall: Intelligence warned killer might attack on release — but it wasn’t widely circulated, inquest told Before Khan's release, a policeman's pocket book recorded he was a 'radicaliser of others' and in prison 'holds shariah court.'

May 19, 2021 Duncan Gardham

(Sky News) Intelligence warned the Fishmongers’ Hall killer might launch an attack on his release from prison — but it was not shared with his probation officer, an inquest has heard. Usman Khan was handed an indeterminate sentence in 2012 for plotting […]