Reported sighting of Daniel Khalife ‘could be very significant’ – police chief

A reported sighting of onthe-run terror suspect Daniel Khalife "could be very significant", the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism commander has said.

The force is offering a £20,000 reward for anyone with information that leads to the arrest of the former soldier after he escaped from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday morning.

Commander Dominic Murphy said the force is investigating after a member of the public saw a man fitting Khalife's description walking away from a Bidfood van that had stopped near the south entrance to Wandsworth Roundabout shortly after his escape.

Police said the man was then seen walking towards Wandsworth town centre.

Mr Murphy said: "I want the public to know that a large number of officers are working extremely hard to locate

Khalife. We have now received more than 100 calls from the public, and we thank everyone who has contacted us with information.

"The sighting near Wandsworth Roundabout could be very significant, and this is one of many useful lines of inquiry that officers are perusing."

Mr Murphy urged Khalife, inset, to hand himself in to police, warning officers were "closing in" on the terror suspect.

He said: "My message to him is to hand yourself in.

"With the reward we are offering today and the amazing support we have had from the public and the media, we will be closing in on you, Daniel, you really need to come in and give yourself up."

Khalife, an ex-soldier who 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, was discharged from the army in May.

Heisbelievedtohaveescaped by strapping himself to the bottom of a delivery lorry after leaving the prison kitchen in a cook's uniform.

Khalife's escape has prompted questions over staffing levels at the Victorian jail and whether he should have been in a higher security prison.

Police have not ruled out the possibility he may have managed to flee the country, despite heightened border checks.