Traitor passed names of SAS fighters to Iran after spy snub

AN ex-soldier who made a daring jail escape by strapping himself under a food truck has been convicted of spying for Iran.

- TOM PETTIFOR

Daniel Khalife, 23, broke out while on remand charged with passing secrets to the Islamic Republic, including a list of SAS soldiers.

Yesterday, after 23 hours' deliberation, a jury convicted him of breaching the Official Secrets Act and the Terrorism Act but cleared him of a bomb hoax.

The Walter Mitty character, who turned traitor after dreaming of working for UK intelligence, calmly replaced his glasses and showed no emotion as the verdicts were returned.

VETTING

Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb warned he would face a long jail term when sentenced early next year.

Son of a British-Lebanese father, Khalife grew up with his Iranian mother in Kingston, south-west London. He joined the Army two weeks before his 17th birthday and served with the Signals Corps.

Vetting gave him "substantial access to secret assets or occasional access to top secret assets".

The lance corporal, who fantasised about becoming a double agent, spent over two years passing information to his handlers, amassing information at Stafford barracks and while deployed at Fort Cavazos, Texas.