British Army service member, 21, accused of planting fake bombs at RAF Stafford

A member of the British Army has appeared in court accused of carrying out a bomb hoax and eliciting information about forces personnel for purposes that could be “useful” to a terrorist.

Daniel Abed Khalife, 21, made no indication of pleas when he appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday morning.

He was charged on January 27 with a terror offence, said to have been carried out on August 2 2021, and the bomb hoax, allegedly carried out on January 2 this year.

Both offences are alleged to have taken place at RAF Stafford in Staffordshire.

The full terror charges say he “elicited” personal information about soldiers from the Ministry of Defence Joint Personnel Administration System which was “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”.

During the alleged bomb hoax, Khalife is accused of leaving three canisters with wires at RAF Stafford “with the intention of inducing in another a belief that the said item was likely to explode or ignite” and cause injury or damage to property.

Appearing in the dock wearing a black jumper and blue jeans, the defendant, from Beacon Barracks in Stafford, spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

His father was in the public gallery for the five-minute hearing.

Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring remanded Khalife into custody to appear at the Old Bailey on February 17.

He told him: "You did not enter a plea. These matters are very serious.

"If you are convicted you are going to face a prison sentence in years not months. Therefore this court’s powers are insufficient."