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Cameron 'not ruling out' air strikes on IS Cameron 'not ruling out' air strikes on IS
(about 1 hour later)
David Cameron says he will not rule out air strikes against Islamic State (IS), which is holding a British hostage.David Cameron says he will not rule out air strikes against Islamic State (IS), which is holding a British hostage.
Asked whether they could be launched without Syria's approval, he said President Assad's government was "illegitimate" given his "war crimes". Asked whether strikes could be launched without Syria's approval, he said President Assad's government was "illegitimate" given his "war crimes".
The prime minister told the BBC action must not be "Western intervention over the heads of neighbouring states".The prime minister told the BBC action must not be "Western intervention over the heads of neighbouring states".
The BBC understands Tory MPs are being canvassed for their views on military action against IS by party whips.The BBC understands Tory MPs are being canvassed for their views on military action against IS by party whips.
Ransom
Extremist group IS, which has seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria and declared a new caliphate - or Islamic state - has killed two US hostages in recent weeks.Extremist group IS, which has seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria and declared a new caliphate - or Islamic state - has killed two US hostages in recent weeks.
It has threatened to kill a British man it has been holding for more than a year next. It has threatened to kill a British man it has been holding for more than a year next unless US air strikes on its positions in Iraq are halted.
The prime minister said the UK would not pay a ransom to free the 44-year-old hostage, who has family in Scotland but relatives have asked the media not to name him. Speaking as Western leaders gathered in Wales for a Nato summit, the prime minister said although the UK would not pay a ransom to free the 44-year-old British hostage, he was "personally supervising" efforts to release him.
'Pursue national interests' In other developments:
The US is carrying out air strikes against IS but Britain has not yet done so and any action in the region must be "properly thought through and patiently delivered", said Mr Cameron. Although the US is carrying out air strikes against IS, Britain has not yet done so and Mr Cameron said any action in the region must be "properly thought through and patiently delivered".
Analysis
By Normal Smith, BBC assistant political editor
No one has yet asked Britain to join in air strikes - and no one is expecting a decision to be taken at this summit.
But the conversation among Nato leaders has moved from "if" Britain and others should support US-led air strikes to "when". A timetable, it seems, will be determined by a key series of steps being met.
It may still be weeks or months before such conditions are met. But the clock would now seem to have begun ticking down to British strikes against Islamic state.
National interests
A year ago, British MPs narrowly voted not to take military action against the regime of Syrian President Mr al-Assad, which was accused of using chemical weapons against its own people during the country's ongoing civil war. But the regime opposes IS, leading to calls for talks with Mr Assad.
When asked about the possibility of the UK taking military action against IS, Mr Cameron said: "I certainly don't rule anything out. We should pursue our national interests.When asked about the possibility of the UK taking military action against IS, Mr Cameron said: "I certainly don't rule anything out. We should pursue our national interests.
"The most important thing to consider is that we mustn't see this as something where you have a Western intervention over the heads of neighbouring states and leaving others to pick up the pieces.""The most important thing to consider is that we mustn't see this as something where you have a Western intervention over the heads of neighbouring states and leaving others to pick up the pieces."
He added that there was "no simple, straight-forward military-led answer" but a "tough, long-term, intelligent approach" rather than a single intervention was required.He added that there was "no simple, straight-forward military-led answer" but a "tough, long-term, intelligent approach" rather than a single intervention was required.
The prime minister also said that - if requested by the Iraqi government - airstrikes in Iraq would be legal.The prime minister also said that - if requested by the Iraqi government - airstrikes in Iraq would be legal.
But when questioned on Radio 4's Today programme whether the UK could legally take military action in Syria, Mr Cameron said he believed it was possible. But when questioned on Radio 4's Today programme whether the UK could legally take military action in Syria without such a request from President Assad, Mr Cameron said he believed it was possible.
"The Iraqi government is a legitimate government. We believe it is about to become more legitimate with a new prime minister with the backing of all of his country - whereas President Assad [of Syria] has committed war crimes on his own people and is therefore illegitimate." "The Iraqi government is a legitimate government. We believe it is about to become more legitimate with a new prime minister with the backing of all of his country - whereas President Assad has committed war crimes on his own people and is therefore illegitimate."
The BBC's Bridget Kendall, at the Nato summit in Wales, said it was not the right forum to discuss a coalition to tackle IS, because leaders of some of the countries who would be part of such an agreement were not there. 'Terrorist outrages'
IS has threatened to kill the British hostage unless US air strikes on its positions in Iraq are halted. The threat to kill the British hostage, who has family in Scotland, came during a video posted online on Tuesday showing the killing of US journalist Steven Sotloff. IS killed another US journalist, James Foley, last month and had asked for a $132m (£80m) ransom for his release.
The threat came during a video posted online on Tuesday showing the killing of US journalist Steven Sotloff. IS killed another US journalist, James Foley, last month and had asked for a $132m (£80m) ransom for his release. The Briton, whose relatives have requested the media not to name him, was taken hostage in the village of Atmeh, in the Idlib province of north-west Syria, in March last year, along with an Italian aid worker and two Syrians, who have since been freed.
The unnamed Briton was taken hostage in the village of Atmeh, in the Idlib province of north-west Syria, in March last year, along with an Italian aid worker and two Syrians, who have since been freed.
In other developments:
Security threatened
Mr Cameron said the UK had "the right policy of saying that we won't pay ransoms to terrorists who kidnap our citizens".Mr Cameron said the UK had "the right policy of saying that we won't pay ransoms to terrorists who kidnap our citizens".
"I know that this is difficult for families when they are the victims of these terrorists - but I'm absolutely convinced from what I've seen that this terrorist organisation, and indeed others around the world, have made tens of millions of dollars from these ransoms - and they spend that money on arming themselves, on kidnapping more people and on plotting terrorist outrages, including in our own country," he said."I know that this is difficult for families when they are the victims of these terrorists - but I'm absolutely convinced from what I've seen that this terrorist organisation, and indeed others around the world, have made tens of millions of dollars from these ransoms - and they spend that money on arming themselves, on kidnapping more people and on plotting terrorist outrages, including in our own country," he said.
He also called on other world leaders to apply the same view.He also called on other world leaders to apply the same view.
He and Barack Obama warned against an "isolationist approach" in the Times, and also said those who called for isolationism "misunderstood the nature of security in the 21st Century".
"Developments in other parts of the world, particularly in Iraq and Syria, threaten our security at home," they said.
They also said the UK and US would "not waver in our determination to confront" IS, adding: "Countries like Britain and America will not be cowed by barbaric killers."
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Wednesday that military action had not been ruled out.
Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox called on the prime minister to support military action.
"I detect a hardening of attitude among MPs who, with every atrocity, want to know why we're not using every means at our disposal to deal with the threat," he added.
Assad talks call
A year ago, British MPs narrowly voted not to take military action against the regime of Syrian President Mr al-Assad, which was accused of using chemical weapons against its own people during the country's ongoing civil war.
But the regime opposes IS, leading to calls for talks with Mr Assad.
Sir William Patey, a former British ambassador to Iraq and Saudi Arabia, said Britain "shouldn't rule out" a deal that "brings together the Assad regime and the known IS opposition together with Iran, with Russia, with the Saudis".
Labour MP Peter Hain said the West could not "resolve the Syrian side of the conflict" with IS unless it dealt with Mr Assad.
In their Times article, Mr Cameron and Mr Obama also said Nato must also stand up to Russia.
"With Russia trying to force a sovereign state to abandon its right to democracy at the barrel of a gun, we should support Ukraine's right to determine its own democratic future and continue our efforts to enhance Ukrainian capabilities," they wrote.