A former soldier “congratulated” the police officer who arrested him three days after he was accused of escaping from prison, a jury has heard.
A court in Woolwich on Friday heard evidence from a Metropolitan Police officer who claimed to have grabbed Daniel Karaif on a canal towpath in west London.
The plainclothes detective sergeant, who was not named in court, jumped out of the car and ran down an alleyway towards the canal.
“It was a very rapidly changing situation. I saw Khalif coming towards me on a bicycle on a bicycle with clothes matching the description. I was sure it was Daniel Khalif and he was I told them I was under arrest. I ran down the stairs and pulled out my Taser,” he told jurors.
The court heard Khalif “flinched” when he saw the device but was traveling so fast he “didn't have a chance to stop”. “I grabbed his arm and pulled him off the bike.”
The 23-year-old allegedly fled from HMP Wandsworth in south London, where he was in repossession, on September 6, 2023, by tying himself to the underside of a food delivery truck. He was arrested in west London on September 9th, carrying the following items: The Waitrose bag contained a phone, receipts, a diary and notes worth around £200, the jury was told.
Jurors were shown images of Khalif after his arrest, which showed him sitting on the ground without shoes, wearing a white T-shirt, blue pants and red socks.
A Metropolitan Police officer who arrested the alleged fugitive said he tried to get ahead of him and drove in the direction where Khalif was seen. When the officer caught up with the ex-soldier, he said he “complied” and was handcuffed. The officers, joined by their colleagues, then helped Khalif to his feet and formally arrested him.
Asked about Mr Khalif's demeanor, the police officer said: “He was friendly towards me. Very cheerful. He never tried to resist. He was pleasant. He congratulated me on catching him.”
Defense lawyer Gul Nawaz Hussain KC asked if he had told Khalif to stop or he would shoot him, to which the officer replied: “No.” Detective Califf asked if he had stopped of his own accord and approached the officer before saying, “Okay,” to which the sergeant laughed and replied, “That's just nonsense.”
Prosecutor Mark Heywood KC previously told the jury Mr Khalif had “quite deliberately escaped” after being taken to the kitchen where he worked.
On September 6, Karaif was in Richmond, south-west London, and went to the clothing store Mountain Warehouse. The court heard he was photographed in M&S and Sainsbury's the following day. According to the court, the former soldier was at McDonald's on the day of his arrest.
His absence was discovered during a head count and all movement within the prison was subsequently suspended, the jury was told.
Mr Khalif is also charged with violating the Official Secrets Act and the Terrorism Act, as well as being accused of committing the bombing. He denies all charges.
The trial continues.
