Daniel Abed Khalife escaped from HMP Wandsworth this morning (Image: Metropolitan Police)
An ex-prisoner who was behind bars with a recently escaped terror suspect told Express.co.uk he represents a "menace to society".
Daniel Abed Khalife escaped from HMP Wandsworth in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with a prison source reportedly claiming he did so on the back of a delivery van.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a former inmate of the prison who knew Khalife revealed what the terror suspect was like in the south London jail.
The source said: "He’s always denied the allegations and just wanted out, but the guy's lost the plot.
"He was initially a quiet character but then overly confident and quite arrogant."
"Khalife is delusional and actually a huge menace to society.
"I hope they find him quickly and preserve public order and security."
A Prison Service source told The Sun the terror suspect escaped when he sneaked out of the kitchens and clung to the bottom of a delivery van.
Major UK airports across the country have ramped up their security in response to the escaped suspect.
Khalife was accused of planting fake bombs - three cannisters with wires protruding from them - at the MOD Stafford military base on January 2.
He had previously appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court.
The court heard how he left the device "with the intention of inducing in another the belief the item was likely to explode or ignite".
A previous court appearance heard he allegedly "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."
A "national incident" was declared at multiple UK airports with security gates closed as "police search for someone".
People waiting for flights at Manchester Airport and Glasgow Airport have faced long queues with police checking everyone’s ID after they have gone through the security hall on Wednesday afternoon.
The Metropolitan Police said: "An alert was issued by the Counter Terrorism Command earlier today in relation to Khalife through established operational briefing channels to relevant UK police and law enforcements agencies, including those at UK ports and borders."
Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command said: "We have a team of officers who are making extensive and urgent enquiries in order to locate and detain Khalife as quickly as possible.
"However, the public can help us as well and should anyone see Khalife, or have any information as to where he might be, then please call 999 immediately.
"I also want to reassure the public that we have no information which indicates, nor any reason to believe that Khalife poses a threat to the wider public, but our advice if you do see him is not to approach him and call 999 straight away."
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