Daniel Khalife trial hears he was 'devastated' to be turned down for army job

Daniel Khalife was told that his Iranian heritage would prevent him from working in army intelligence, a court has heard

Daniel Khalife was devastated to be told his Iranian heritage could prevent him from working in army intelligence, his trial has heard. Giving evidence the former soldier, 23, told a jury that he believed he could utilise his background to further national security and “wanted my country to understand that”.

He said that he was 17-years-old when a troop commander said having an Iranian mother meant he would not pass the required security vetting. “I was quite devastated,” the former Royal Corps of Signals soldier said. “I really was at a loss at what to do.”

Asked by his barrister Gul Nawaz Hussain if he would have made the same decisions later on had he been offered more support from his army superiors, Khalife replied: “No.”

The former soldier – who reiterated that he is a “patriot” – said he believed his Iranian heritage could be useful to the intelligence community, and came up with his plan to work as a double agent a month later. He told the court: “I wanted to utilise my background to further our national security. I wanted my country to understand that.”

Earlier yesterday, Khalife, also accused of escaping from jail by strapping himself to the underside of a lorry using bedsheets, said he visited Iran as a 15-year-old and “thought it was a horrible place”.

He was taken to the country for four weeks by his “very strict” mother to show him how people lived there. “It’s a tragedy what’s happened to that country,” he added. “Me and my family are against the regime in Iran.”

Khalife, of Kingston, South West London, denies committing an act prejudicial to the safety of the state, getting information about armed forces members and escaping from jail. The trial being held at Woolwich crown court, continues.