This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/09/world/europe/britain-isis-syria-drone-strike.html
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Britain ‘Wouldn’t Hesitate’ to Carry Out More Drone Strikes in Syria, Minister Says | Britain ‘Wouldn’t Hesitate’ to Carry Out More Drone Strikes in Syria, Minister Says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| LONDON — Undeterred by criticism of a lethal drone strike against terrorism suspects in Syria, the British defense secretary said on Tuesday that his country would not hesitate to carry out similar raids against militants suspected of plotting attacks against Britain and its allies. | |
| British lawmakers rejected a motion to allow air attacks in Syria two years ago, and an announcement on Monday that the military had targeted people suspected of being Islamic State members prompted concerns that the country’s leadership had disregarded the vote and was shifting toward a more aggressive policy regarding extrajudicial killings. | |
| Michael Fallon, the British defense secretary, on Tuesday sought to justify the military action, revealed a day earlier by Prime Minister David Cameron in a statement to Parliament. Mr. Cameron said that Britain had conducted an armed drone strike inside Syria for the first time on Aug. 21, killing three people suspected of being Islamic State members, including two British citizens. | |
| “We wouldn’t hesitate to do it again if we know that there is an armed attack that is likely,” Mr. Fallon told the BBC on Tuesday. “If we know who is involved in it, then we have to do something about it.” | “We wouldn’t hesitate to do it again if we know that there is an armed attack that is likely,” Mr. Fallon told the BBC on Tuesday. “If we know who is involved in it, then we have to do something about it.” |
| He added that there were a number of terrorists in Syria “who are actively involved in planning attacks on our streets, who have been planning attacks on the streets of Australia, and on the streets of the United States.” | |
| “So it is more than just the individuals who have been the subject of this strike,” he said. | |
| Asked whether Britain had identified more than two or three people suspected of being terrorists, Mr. Fallon replied “yes,” but he declined to say whether there was a British “kill list” of drone targets. | |
| In his statement to Parliament on Monday, Mr. Cameron said that a British man, Reyaad Khan, had been identified as a terrorist threat and was killed in an operation in which two associates, including another Briton identified as Ruhul Amin, also died. | In his statement to Parliament on Monday, Mr. Cameron said that a British man, Reyaad Khan, had been identified as a terrorist threat and was killed in an operation in which two associates, including another Briton identified as Ruhul Amin, also died. |
| Mr. Cameron justified the action on the grounds that Mr. Khan, 21, and another Briton, Junaid Hussain, had sought “to orchestrate specific and barbaric attacks,” including terrorism in Britain. Mr. Hussain was killed in an American drone strike on Aug. 24, according to United States officials. | Mr. Cameron justified the action on the grounds that Mr. Khan, 21, and another Briton, Junaid Hussain, had sought “to orchestrate specific and barbaric attacks,” including terrorism in Britain. Mr. Hussain was killed in an American drone strike on Aug. 24, according to United States officials. |
| To many in Britain, the Aug. 21 strike appeared to bring the country’s policy on such killings closer to that of the United States, which targeted and killed Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born jihadist preacher, in a 2011 drone strike. | To many in Britain, the Aug. 21 strike appeared to bring the country’s policy on such killings closer to that of the United States, which targeted and killed Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born jihadist preacher, in a 2011 drone strike. |
| Mr. Cameron told lawmakers on Monday that Jeremy Wright, the attorney general, had justified the action on the basis of self-defense, and that the British government quickly came under pressure to publish the legal advice it received. | Mr. Cameron told lawmakers on Monday that Jeremy Wright, the attorney general, had justified the action on the basis of self-defense, and that the British government quickly came under pressure to publish the legal advice it received. |
| Speaking to ITV News, Dominic Grieve, a conservative lawmaker and former attorney general, said that the decision to kill Mr. Khan might be challenged in the courts on human rights grounds. | Speaking to ITV News, Dominic Grieve, a conservative lawmaker and former attorney general, said that the decision to kill Mr. Khan might be challenged in the courts on human rights grounds. |
| In a statement issued on Monday, Kat Craig, legal director of the abuses in counterterrorism team at Reprieve, a group that campaigns for human rights, argued that “what we are seeing is the failed U.S. model of secret strikes being copied wholesale by the British government.” | In a statement issued on Monday, Kat Craig, legal director of the abuses in counterterrorism team at Reprieve, a group that campaigns for human rights, argued that “what we are seeing is the failed U.S. model of secret strikes being copied wholesale by the British government.” |
| “Ministers repeatedly promised Parliament and the public that there would be no military operations in Syria without Parliamentary approval,” Ms. Craig said. “The fact that David Cameron has bypassed Parliament to commit these covert strikes is deeply worrying, as is his refusal to share what legal advice he was given.” | “Ministers repeatedly promised Parliament and the public that there would be no military operations in Syria without Parliamentary approval,” Ms. Craig said. “The fact that David Cameron has bypassed Parliament to commit these covert strikes is deeply worrying, as is his refusal to share what legal advice he was given.” |
| Opposition lawmakers have also called for the release of more information about the specific threats the targets posed. | Opposition lawmakers have also called for the release of more information about the specific threats the targets posed. |
| Mr. Cameron said on Monday that Mr. Khan had been involved in directing “terrorist attacks right here in Britain, such as plots to attack high-profile public commemorations, including those taking place this summer,” but the biggest events to mark the end of World War II had already taken place by the time Mr. Khan was killed. | Mr. Cameron said on Monday that Mr. Khan had been involved in directing “terrorist attacks right here in Britain, such as plots to attack high-profile public commemorations, including those taking place this summer,” but the biggest events to mark the end of World War II had already taken place by the time Mr. Khan was killed. |
| Mr. Fallon declined to give more detail, but he reiterated that the targets posed a serious threat. | Mr. Fallon declined to give more detail, but he reiterated that the targets posed a serious threat. |
| “These were terrorists who had been planning a series of attacks on the streets of our country, some involving public events,” Mr. Fallon said. “There are other terrorists making similar plans, and we have to do what we can to keep our streets safe.” | “These were terrorists who had been planning a series of attacks on the streets of our country, some involving public events,” Mr. Fallon said. “There are other terrorists making similar plans, and we have to do what we can to keep our streets safe.” |
| Since a general election in May, the British government had been expected to make another attempt to obtain the approval of lawmakers for military action in Syria, something Mr. Fallon said was likely “at some point.” He described the current restrictions, which limit Britain’s ability to strike jihadist targets to Iraq, as an “absurdity.” | Since a general election in May, the British government had been expected to make another attempt to obtain the approval of lawmakers for military action in Syria, something Mr. Fallon said was likely “at some point.” He described the current restrictions, which limit Britain’s ability to strike jihadist targets to Iraq, as an “absurdity.” |