Former British Soldier Accused of Delivering Secrets to Iran During Trip to Turkey

A former British soldier, Daniel Khalife, 23, is facing trial for allegedly passing sensitive information to Iranian agents during his time in the military. The prosecution claims that Khalife, who joined the Royal Signals at 17, began working as a double agent, providing classified information to Iran for over two years, Sky News reports.

The Woolwich Crown Court heard that Khalife, whose mother is from Iran, contacted MI6 with an offer to become a “double agent.” He allegedly claimed his contact with the Iranians was a “double bluff” but evidence suggests otherwise.

The prosecution presented evidence of two cash pickups Khalife made in London in 2019 and 2021, which they believe were payments from Iranian handlers. Additionally, pictures found on Khalife’s phone show him at the Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel between 4 and 10 August 2020, a trip he originally planned to take to Iran.

In an audio message, Khalife reportedly discusses a “package” delivered during the trip, indicating the potential transfer of information to Iranian contacts. The prosecution alleges that this package included a Selex Sentinel phone handset and other sensitive material, including a unit for cryptography and a spreadsheet containing promotion results for British Army personnel, including special forces soldiers.

The court heard that while deployed to Fort Hood in Texas, Khalife continued to communicate with his Iranian handlers and escalated his activities. He allegedly gathered information from US military bases and shared it with Iranian intelligence.

After being arrested and released on bail, Khalife absconded from his barracks, leaving behind a hoax explosive device to cause alarm. He is now facing charges under the Official Secrets Act and the Terrorism Act, including espionage, eliciting information about armed forces personnel, perpetrating a bomb hoax, and escaping from prison.

Khalife denies all charges.