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Father of British Isis fighters fears they are on government hitlist Father of British Isis fighters fears they are on government hitlist
(about 7 hours later)
The father of two young men believed to be fighting alongside Islamic State in Syria has said he fears they could be on a British government “hitlist”.The father of two young men believed to be fighting alongside Islamic State in Syria has said he fears they could be on a British government “hitlist”.
Nasser Muthana, 21, went to school in Cardiff with Reyaad Khan, who David Cameron confirmed on Monday had been killed in an RAF drone strike in Syria along with fellow Briton, Ruhul Amin. Muthana is now believed to have joined Isis with his 18-year-old brother, Aseel.Nasser Muthana, 21, went to school in Cardiff with Reyaad Khan, who David Cameron confirmed on Monday had been killed in an RAF drone strike in Syria along with fellow Briton, Ruhul Amin. Muthana is now believed to have joined Isis with his 18-year-old brother, Aseel.
Their father, Ahmed, a retired electrical engineer, said on Tuesday he was concerned his sons could be a target for British forces.Their father, Ahmed, a retired electrical engineer, said on Tuesday he was concerned his sons could be a target for British forces.
“I am frightened because my sons are out there too,” he said. “I worry that they could be on a hitlist. I don’t think I will ever see my sons again.”“I am frightened because my sons are out there too,” he said. “I worry that they could be on a hitlist. I don’t think I will ever see my sons again.”
Downing Street conceded on Tuesday that a list of names of several British jihadis was drawn up at the meeting of senior national security council members that approved the drone strike that killed Amin and Khan. It is understood that the list contains names of jihadis who are still alive.Downing Street conceded on Tuesday that a list of names of several British jihadis was drawn up at the meeting of senior national security council members that approved the drone strike that killed Amin and Khan. It is understood that the list contains names of jihadis who are still alive.
The defence secretary, Michael Fallon, said on Tuesday that the government was prepared to carry out further drone strikes against British jihadis in Syria who represented a threat of attacks on British soil.The defence secretary, Michael Fallon, said on Tuesday that the government was prepared to carry out further drone strikes against British jihadis in Syria who represented a threat of attacks on British soil.
Fallon said there were more than three people who represented such a threat to the UK that airstrikes against them could be authorised. He refused to say that this amounted to an American-style “kill list”.Fallon said there were more than three people who represented such a threat to the UK that airstrikes against them could be authorised. He refused to say that this amounted to an American-style “kill list”.
Muthana said he would not believe Khan was plotting an attack on British soil until he saw the evidence.Muthana said he would not believe Khan was plotting an attack on British soil until he saw the evidence.
“I don’t believe what Cameron is saying. The government has said things like this before. It’s just like Tony Blair and Iraq. In five years’ time we’ll be looking back at this and trying to find out the truth about it.”“I don’t believe what Cameron is saying. The government has said things like this before. It’s just like Tony Blair and Iraq. In five years’ time we’ll be looking back at this and trying to find out the truth about it.”
Muthana said he had spoken to Khan’s father about his son’s death, and said he could not believe his son could have been involved in plotting an attack on Britain. “I saw him at the mosque and told him I was sorry. He was crying. He’s a good man. He can’t believe that his son was involved in something like this. Nobody can believe it.”Muthana said he had spoken to Khan’s father about his son’s death, and said he could not believe his son could have been involved in plotting an attack on Britain. “I saw him at the mosque and told him I was sorry. He was crying. He’s a good man. He can’t believe that his son was involved in something like this. Nobody can believe it.”
Muthana said that if the evidence was produced he might be able to accept that the government was right to act as it did. “But I don’t believe we will see that evidence.”Muthana said that if the evidence was produced he might be able to accept that the government was right to act as it did. “But I don’t believe we will see that evidence.”
In the past, Muthana has criticised his sons for leaving the UK to fight with Isis.In the past, Muthana has criticised his sons for leaving the UK to fight with Isis.
Nasser, a talented, sport-oriented young man born and raised in the Welsh capital who planned to go to medical school, appeared with Khan in an Isis recruitment video in the summer of 2014 urging other Muslims to join the fighting. At the time, Muthana told the Guardian that his sons had “betrayed” Britain.Nasser, a talented, sport-oriented young man born and raised in the Welsh capital who planned to go to medical school, appeared with Khan in an Isis recruitment video in the summer of 2014 urging other Muslims to join the fighting. At the time, Muthana told the Guardian that his sons had “betrayed” Britain.
Related: Jihadi recruitment video for Islamist terror group Isis features three Britons
Now Muthana’s anger has been replaced by deep regret. “I know I won’t see them again,” he said. “I am sad they have gone.” He said he did not have any contact with them.Now Muthana’s anger has been replaced by deep regret. “I know I won’t see them again,” he said. “I am sad they have gone.” He said he did not have any contact with them.
“But I don’t believe they are involved in any plots against Britain. They have made it clear they are not coming back. If they aren’t coming back, how can they be involved in anything like that?” He said he had “no idea” if they posed a threat to moderate Muslims in Syria.“But I don’t believe they are involved in any plots against Britain. They have made it clear they are not coming back. If they aren’t coming back, how can they be involved in anything like that?” He said he had “no idea” if they posed a threat to moderate Muslims in Syria.
At Khan’s family home in the Riverside area of Cardiff, a man in a dressing gown aged around 40 answered the door on Tuesday morning but refused to comment. “We want to be left alone,” he said. “We have no comment to make.”At Khan’s family home in the Riverside area of Cardiff, a man in a dressing gown aged around 40 answered the door on Tuesday morning but refused to comment. “We want to be left alone,” he said. “We have no comment to make.”
There are growing calls in the city for the government to give more detail about the intelligence that led to the drone strike. A family friend who visited Khan’s mother on Tuesday afternoon said the young man’s relatives did not believe he could have been involved in a terrorist plot against the UK. “They don’t believe he could have done something like that. He would never have done the sort of thing they are suggesting. They are very upset,” the friend said.
Another friend said his mother and father - Rukia, 41 and Nazim, 46 - were still waiting for “clarification” of the circumstances surrounding his death. “It is a very difficult time for them,” the friend said.
Some others who knew Reyaad were not so sympathetic. One 19-year-old woman said: “There is a saying: “an eye for eye”, which I agree with. I can empathise with David Cameron because Reyaad Khan has done wrong himself and I believe in justice being done.”
The Welsh nationalist party, Plaid Cymru, has led the calls for more information to be revealed about the intelligence that lead to the British strike.
Plaid Cymru’s defence and foreign affairs spokesperson, Hywel Williams MP said: “The killing of an UK citizen abroad in the territory of another sovereign state, and by this method is unprecedented, on the government’s own admission.
“The prime minister must explain the justification and legal basis behind his decision. He should set out the nature of the imminent threat he claims this individual posed. He should also publish the attorney general opinion.
“It is deeply troubling that the Prime Minister has undermined the clear will of parliament which voted against military strikes in Syria. The prime minister’s statement raised grave questions over the legality and transparency of the UK’s response to the crisis in Syria. He must provide answers without delay.”
Saleem Kidwai, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Wales, said: “I hope the evidence is much stronger than with the weapons of mass destruction.”Saleem Kidwai, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Wales, said: “I hope the evidence is much stronger than with the weapons of mass destruction.”
He described Khan as a “bright boy” who once dreamed of becoming the first Asian prime minister. “He was a normal child. What happened, God knows.”He described Khan as a “bright boy” who once dreamed of becoming the first Asian prime minister. “He was a normal child. What happened, God knows.”
Eluned Parrott, the Welsh Liberal Democrat assembly member for South Wales Central, said: “Having already grieved when their son left Cardiff to join Isis, Reyaad Khan’s family are now mourning his death. My thoughts are very much with them and the wider community at this difficult time. Fallon denied on Tuesday that the government had a “kill list” but made clear that there had been no other way to deal with the threat. It is understood the strikes were ordered after intelligence that Khan and fellow Briton Junaid Hussain, who was killed by an airstrike, were planning attacks on the VE Day commemorations in May and the Armed Forces Day commemorative event in Woolwich on 27 June to mark the death of Lee Rigby.
“Drones are a legal and legitimate tool of war, as long as they are used correctly and their use is underpinned by law. Unless that legal underpinning can be shown, the public could justifiably suspect that this strike was ordered without due process being followed.
“Given that we’re still unravelling the consequences of the former Labour government’s illegal war in Iraq, we need to make sure this drone strike was legal. That’s why I’m glad that Lib Dem MPs have called for the legal advice given to the prime minister to be published.”
In interviews on Tuesday, Fallon made clear the government was keen that its regular strikes against Isis targets in Iraq be widened to include Syria, arguing that it was “absurd” to impose limits on Britain’s military involvement.
The prime minister has said he would only widen such strikes to Syria with the approval of parliament and that he had only authorised the drone strikes which killed the Britons on the grounds that they posed an immediate threat to security.
In a sign that the government is preparing the ground for further attacks, most likely to be against Mohammed Emwazi, known as “Jihadi John”, Fallon accused the Isis forces of having a “kill list”.
He told Good Morning Britain on ITV1: “They have plans to mount a series of attacks on Britain and our job is to identify those attacks, identify the terrorists and where we can forestall them. But if you’re asking me would we hesitate to take similar action again today, tomorrow, next week: absolutely not, we would not hesitate.”
The defence secretary denied that the government had a “kill list” but made clear that there had been no other way to deal with the threat. It is understood the strikes were ordered after intelligence that Khan and fellow Briton Junaid Hussain, who was killed by an airstrike, were planning attacks on the VE Day commemorations in May and the Armed Forces Day commemorative event in Woolwich on 27 June to mark the death of Lee Rigby.
Philip Hammond, the foreign secretary, was due answer questions from MPs on the foreign affairs select committee about the strikes on Tuesday afternoon. He is likely to echo Cameron, who justified the strikes in a statement to MPs on the grounds that Khan represented a “clear and present danger”.Philip Hammond, the foreign secretary, was due answer questions from MPs on the foreign affairs select committee about the strikes on Tuesday afternoon. He is likely to echo Cameron, who justified the strikes in a statement to MPs on the grounds that Khan represented a “clear and present danger”.
The strike that killed Khan and Amin in the Syrian city of Raqqa on 21 August was the first time a British prime minister has authorised the targeting of a UK citizen by an unmanned aerial drone outside a formal conflict. Hussain was killed by a separate US airstrike three days later as part of a joint operation.The strike that killed Khan and Amin in the Syrian city of Raqqa on 21 August was the first time a British prime minister has authorised the targeting of a UK citizen by an unmanned aerial drone outside a formal conflict. Hussain was killed by a separate US airstrike three days later as part of a joint operation.
Cameron disclosed the strikes in a dramatic afternoon statement which had originally been billed as a chance to outline his plans to take thousands of extra refugees from Syria. Downing Street announced on Monday morning that the statement, in which the prime minister confirmed that Britain would take 20,000 refugees over the next five years, would include a major counter-terrorism announcement.
The prime minister told MPs: “In an act of self defence and after meticulous planning Reyaad Khan was killed in a precision airstrike carried out on 21 August by an RAF remotely piloted aircraft while he was travelling in a vehicle in the area of Raqqa in Syria.”