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| Version 11 | Version 12 |
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| Cameron 'not ruling out' air strikes on IS | Cameron 'not ruling out' air strikes on IS |
| (35 minutes 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 strikes 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 | 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 unless US air strikes on its positions in Iraq are halted. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| 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". | 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 | Analysis |
| By Normal Smith, BBC assistant political editor | 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. | 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 | 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. | 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 - air strikes in Iraq would be legal. | |
| 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. | 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 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." |
| 'Terrorist outrages' | 'Terrorist outrages' |
| 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 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 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 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. |
| 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. |