Wait occasions to clear immigration at Terminal 4 of Heathrow Airport topped two and half hours on Thursday night as counter terrorism police continued an ‘pressing’ search to search out a fugitive needed on terror fees who escaped from jail on Wedesday morning.
The Metropolitan Police Search stated Thursday that 150 officers from its specialist Counter Terrorism Command have been now concerned within the seek for 21-year-old Daniel Abed Khalife, who escaped from Wandsworth Jail at roughly 7:50 am on Wednesday morning.
Khalife’s escape from the Class B jail in South West London prompted a nationwide safety alert at airports throughout the UK. In a uncommon transfer, police and border officers are conducting embarkation checks on all passengers leaving or transiting by means of UK airports.
Not like many different international locations, passengers departing airports resembling London Heathrow don’t should current their passports to a border guard as a result of embarkation checks are carried out routinely through the superior passenger info that must be submitted earlier than or on the time of check-in.
The UK Border Power has needed to divert officers away from arrival channels to assist perform handbook embarkation checks in an try to forestall Khalife from slipping in a foreign country utilizing a faux passport.
“We’ve issued a nationwide alert that has resulted in elevated safety at our ports and borders, nevertheless at present there haven’t been any confirmed sightings,” commented Commander Dominic Murphy of the Met’s Terrorism Command as strain grew on the drive to trace down Khalife.
Khalife, an ex-soldier, was being held in HMP Wandsworth on a slew of terrorism offences and breaches of the Official Secrets and techniques Act.
“I recognise and am absolutely conscious of the influence these measures are having on the general public. We’re working to make sure as minimal disruption as attainable,” Commander Murphy continued.
“It’s essential for the general public to assist us with this search and to name us instantly if they’ve any info on the whereabouts of Khalife.”
Heathrow Airport stated it was taking passengers greater than two and a half hours to clear immigration at Terminal 4 on Thursday night because the seek for Khalife intensified. The queue at Terminal 5 and Terminal 3 was greater than an hour.
Khalife is believed to have escaped jail by crawling beneath a supply van and hanging onto the undercarriage because it drove out of the jail. Police have situated the supply and located strapping beneath the van, which they believed Khalife hung onto.
The general public has been suggested to not method Khalife in the event that they see him however to name 999 instantly.
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