Daniel Khalife remains in police custody after four-day manhunt came to end

ITV News' Callum Watkinson takes us through the latest after a nation-wide manhunt concluded with the arrest of Daniel Khalife on Saturday

Terror suspect Daniel Khalife remains in police custody after he was "pulled off a pushbike" and arrested by a plain clothes officer in Northolt, London.

Following a four-day manhunt, officers confirmed on Saturday morning the 21-year-old former soldier - who fled HMP Wandsworth on September 6 by strapping himself to the underside of a delivery van - was caught near Chiswick just before 11am.

After "intensive searches," Commander Dominic Murphy, the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism chief, has told reporters the details of the arrest.

"At 10.41am, he was arrested on Rowdell Road in UB5 in London on the canal towpath," Mr Murphy said.

"He was actually arrested by a plain clothes officer… and he was riding a pushbike at the time, was pulled off that pushbike by that officer and arrested at that location.

"Upon being detained by the officer he was fully co-operative and handcuffed and arrested."

Mr Murphy added that Khalife was arrested for being unlawfully at large and unlawfully escaping custody.

"It’s been about 75 hours since he went missing from the prison to the point of his arrest," he said.

"That’s pretty quick given the challenge of trying to find this individual."

He revealed that the police had received "well over 100 calls" from members of the public to report sightings of Khalife, and that the public have been "absolutely integral" in capturing the ex-serviceman.

Mr Murphy said police will ensure that anyone who helped or supported Khalife in his escape faces justice.

He told reporters: “It is important to say now though, now he is in custody, and he is in custody in a west London police station, this is still an ongoing investigation so he still has to stand trial for the original offences for which he was on remand and clearly we now need to go and complete the rest of our investigation into his escape.”

"If we identify anybody who helped and supported him we will be looking for them and ensuring that they also face justice.”

Mr Murphy also said he recognised the impact the search had on people “inconvenienced” at borders, but as he is a terror suspect this decision was "a necessary part of the strategy to find him."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he is “very pleased” Khalife has been arrested, as he praised efforts by the police and the public in finding him.

The Met Police had offered up a £20,000 reward for information on the former soldier's whereabouts.

The former soldier, who according to reports is accused of gathering information for Iran, went missing in a cook’s uniform from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday morning.

Strapping was found on the underside of a Bidfood delivery vehicle which police stopped just over an hour after it left the prison, with officers suggesting Khalife held on to the underside of the lorry to escape.

Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said Khalife’s escape was “clearly pre-planned” and “it is a question” whether it was an inside job.

Labour demanded answers from the government now that Khalife has been arrested.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper wrote on social media: “Thank you to all the police & intelligence teams involved in the search and arrest of Daniel Khalife – very welcome news he has now been caught.

“Now we need answers about how on earth a prisoner charged with terror & national security offences could have escaped in this way.”

Speaking to broadcasters at the G20 summit venue in New Delhi, the prime minister said: “I’m very pleased with the news and my thanks to the police officers for their fantastic work over the past couple of days, but also to the public who came forward with an enormous number of leads to help the police in their inquiries.

“It’s good news that we captured the person concerned. As people already know, the Justice Secretary has initiated an inquiry into the circumstances of his escape and that work will continue.

“This is obviously very welcome news. Again, my thanks to the police but also to the public for their help.”

Khalife was awaiting trial after allegedly planting a fake bomb at an RAF base and gathering information that might be useful to terrorists or enemies of the UK. He denies all charges against him.

He was discharged from the Army in May. He had been stationed at the Ministry of Defence’s Beacon Barracks in Stafford.

The lorry Khalife is believed to have strapped himself to left HMP Wandsworth at 7.32am on Wednesday. He was declared missing at 7.50am.

Police were notified at 8.15am and the lorry was stopped on Upper Richmond Road, near to the junction of Carlton Drive, at 8.37am.

CCTV footage later emerged of the van driving along a road in London after it had left the prison.

The incident has prompted questions over staffing levels at HMP Wandsworth and why Khalife was being held in a Category B prison.

The Justice Secretary earlier this week confirmed an independent investigation will take place following Khalife’s escape.

Alex Chalk told MPs two urgent reviews would also take place regarding the categorisation and placement of all HMP Wandsworth prisoners and all those in custody charged with terrorism offences.

Earlier on Saturday he said he would "leave no stone unturned in getting to the bottom of how this serious breach was possible.”

Wandsworth prisons performance was rated a “serious concern” and watchdogs had issued a string of warnings about the jail in the past year before Khalife escaped.

Kent Police said on Friday evening that junctions eight and nine of the M20 had reopened after being temporarily shut on Thursday due to the enhanced security checks involved with the search for Khalife.

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