The answer, police say, is a bit of both. They believed Khalife to be inept in many regards. His barrister, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, said he was "hapless" and "sometimes bordering on the slapstick" - more Scooby-Doo than 007.
But detectives also built up evidence of a man able to mount the prison escape that sparked a huge manhunt last year, and one whose actions in the employ of Iranian security services may have materially affected people's lives.
Now, a jury has convicted Khalife of working as an asset for Iranian spies while serving as a British soldier as he sought to evade capture. He had already admitted escaping from Wandsworth prison as he awaited trial.
"It is difficult to disentangle [Khalife's] ego - the fantasy he created, the money he earned, and his inability to understand the damage he was causing here," Commander Dominic Murphy of Scotland Yard's SO15 counter-terrorism unit told reporters, when asked about Khalife's motivation to work for Tehran. "Put it all together and it is a mixed picture. And it is a picture of Daniel Khalife."
For his part, Khalife told the jury he had sought to cultivate his Iranian intelligence contacts to help British security services. He claimed he mainly fed his handlers either fake information, or real documents that were already in the public domain. And, once he had their trust, he had wanted to work as a double agent for the British.
The breakout, he said, was to demonstrate the folly of locking up someone with his talents.
Here was a man who really was spying for Tehran, a jury has found. He was passing his handlers information that, while often fake, could easily have put the British-Iranian former prisoner in Tehran Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe at risk, police say. And, at the same time, here was a man who thought he would be able to secure his recruitment by British intelligence by ringing MI5's front desk.
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin November 29, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin November 29, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
At least 75% of universities join fossil fuel pledge, say activists
More than three-quarters of UK universities have pledged to exclude fossil fuel firms from their investment portfolios, according to campaigners.
Verstappen says he has 'lost all respect' for Russell
Max Verstappen issued a condemnation of his fellow driver George Russell stating he had \"lost all respect\" for him after the pair were involved in an incident during qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix.
'Not the best part of UK' Ortega hits out at Liverpool over Guardiola 'sack' chants
Pep Guardiola said he expected more respect at Anfield after being taunted about the sack during Manchester City's defeat at Liverpool, with the chants prompting the goalkeeper Stefan Ortega to criticise the city as \"not the best part in the UK\".
Salah seals statement win as City continue to flounder
When times have been tough in the past for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, there has always been the sense they will pull through; it will be OK.
Powerless Guardiola gawps as his empire falls at the hands of Slot's meritocracy
Pep Guardiola kept holding up six fingers. The Liverpool fans were in delirium and the Liverpool players were jigging and jiving across the turf, and his own players had gone over to applaud the travelling support, which is really the least anyone deserves after attempting to travel across northern England on a Sunday.
Rashford and Zirkzee double up to demolish sorry Everton
\"Amorim, Ruben Amorim, nananananananaaa,\" the jubilant Manchester United fans chorused after Joshua Zirkzee's second goal.
Palmer's showstopper adds to Emery's worries
Bad news for fans of slapstick comedy: Chelsea appear to be serious again.
Postecoglou tunes out injury 'violins' as Spurs are slowed by Cairney
It would be tempting to talk of Tottenham at least being predictable in their unpredictability, of the way they cannot but follow up a great result with a disappointing one, of the inevitability of them, having beaten Manchester City 4-0 the previous weekend, failing to beat Fulham at home.
Hayes says fans entitled to boo USA's Albert at Wembley
Emma Hayes United States head coach
'Raring to go' Stokes brushes off injury worry after pulling up
Ben Stokes moved to play down concerns over his fitness and declared himself \"raring to go\" for the second Test at Wellington after the England captain ended his efforts with the ball mid-over during the eight-wicket win at Hagley Oval.