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RAF airstrike killed two British Isis fighters in Syria, David Cameron reveals
RAF airstrike killed two British Isis fighters in Syria, David Cameron announces
(4 months later)
Two British citizens fighting for Isis in Syria were killed by RAF airstrikes last month, David Cameron has revealed.
Two British citizens fighting for Isis in Syria were killed by RAF airstrikes, David Cameron has announced.
The Government has not received Parliamentary backing for intervention in Syria but the Prime Minister told MPs that the decision to act was "entirely lawful". "We took this action because there was no alternative," he said. "We were exercising Britain’s inherent right in self defence."
The Prime Minister also revealed that the police and security services have foiled at least six terrorist attacks against Britain over the last 12 months as he delivered a statement to the House of Commons on Britain's response to the Syrian refugee crisis and efforts to tackle the growing threat of Isis.
He also disclosed that the police and security services have foiled at least six terrorist attacks against Britain over the last 12 months as he delivered a statement to the House of Commons on Britain's response to the Syrian refugee crisis and efforts to tackle the growing threat of Isis.
The risk to Britain from Islamist extremist violence is "more acute today than ever before," he said, as he defended the decision to approve an RAF drone strikes in Raqqa, that killed a total of three Isis fighters, two of whom were British.
The risk to Britain from Islamist extremist violence is "more acute today than ever before," Mr Cameron said, as he defended the decision to approve an RAF drone strikes in Raqqa, that killed a total of three Isis fighters, two of whom were British, on August 21.
Defending the Government's decision to authorise the drone attacks without Parliamentary backing, Mr Cameron said: "We took this action because there was no alternative. In this area, there is no government we can work with.
The RAF drone attack was taken out in the Isis stronghold of Raqqa, Syria (AP) The two British nationals were named as Junaid Hussain and Reyaad Khan. They were based in Syria and were "actively recruiting Isil sympathisers," Mr Cameron said, adding there was "clear evidence" that they were planning to carry out "barbaric attacks" against the West, including direct terrorist plots on high profile commemorations in Britain this summer.
Mr Cameron said he had acted without the backing of Parliament because of the severe threat the three men posed to Britain's national interest.
"We took this action because there was no alternative," he told MPs. In this area, there is no government we can work with.
"We have no military on the ground to detain those preparing plots and there was nothing to suggest that Reyaad Khan would ever leave Syria or desist from his desire to murder us at home.
"We have no military on the ground to detain those preparing plots and there was nothing to suggest that Reyaad Khan would ever leave Syria or desist from his desire to murder us at home.
"So we had no way of preventing his planned attacks on our country without taking direct action."
"So we had no way of preventing his planned attacks on our country without taking direct action.
Former attorney general, Dominic Grieve said going ahead with drone attacks in Syria without Parliamentary approval was 'draconian' and predicted it would face legal challenges
Revealing the threat posed to Britain from the terrorist group, Mr Cameron said: "I can tell the House that our police and security services have stopped at least six different attempts to attack the UK in the last 12 months alone.
Mr Cameron added: "The Attorney General was consulted and was clear there would be a clear legal basis for action in international law. We were exercising the UK's inherent right to self-defence.
"There was clear evidence of the individuals in question planning and directing armed attacks against the UK. These were part of a series of actual and foiled attempts to attack the UK and our allies."
However the decision to act without the backing of Parliament and the Government's legal justification that it was acting in self defence was criticised by the former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, who described it as a "very draconian thing to do". "I strongly suspect it will lead to a legal challenge," he told BBC Radio 4.
He said he expected a legal challenge to be made to the "potential violation of somebody's right to life".
The SNP also attacked the decision, with the party's defence spokesperson Brendan O'Hara claiming that the involvement of British personnel in airstrikes without the the approval of Parliament "flouts the democratic decision of the House of Commons".
Revealing the extent of the threat posed to Britain from the terrorist group, Mr Cameron said: "I can tell the House that our police and security services have stopped at least six different attempts to attack the UK in the last 12 months alone.
David Cameron was on a regional visit in the UK to talk about the Government's apprenticeship programme on the day of the RAF drone attack
"The threat picture facing Britain in terms of Islamist extremist violence is more acute today than ever before."
"The threat picture facing Britain in terms of Islamist extremist violence is more acute today than ever before."
Downing Street said Mr Cameron was on a regional visit in the UK to talk about the Government's apprenticeships programme on the day of the RAF airstrike in Raqqa.
