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Cameron in emergency talks after killing of David Haines Cameron hails David Haines as 'British hero' and vows to hunt down killers
(35 minutes later)
Britain stands ready to take "whatever steps are necessary" to help an international push to destroy the "evil" extremist group that murdered British aid worker David Haines, David Cameron has said. David Cameron has promised to take whatever steps are necessary takes to defeat the "monsters" in the Islamic State jihadi group who released a video purporting to show the beheading of British aid worker David Haines.
In an emotional statement in Downing Street after chairing a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency committee to discuss the killing, the prime minister hailed Haines as a "British hero" and vowed to "hunt down those responsible and bring them to justice no matter how long it takes". Speaking after an emergency security meeting in Whitehall, the prime minister made no mention of recalling parliament or joining US air strikes against the extremist group, which controls vast swaths of Iraq and Syria.
Islamic State militants were "not Muslims, they are monsters", he said, adding that the UK could not afford to ignore the severe threat the jihadists' spread posed to both world and domestic security. However, he said the UK could not ignore the threat of Islamic State (Isis) and Britain would have to take "action at home and abroad" through a sustained and comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy.
Before the Cobra meeting, Cameron released a statement condemning the murder as an "act of pure evil". He said the UK would do "everything in our power to hunt down these murderers and ensure they face justice, however long it takes". Cameron condemned Islamic State the "embodiment of evil" and praised the 44-year-old Haines as a "British hero".
He added: "This is a despicable and appalling murder of an innocent aid worker … My heart goes out to the family of David Haines who have shown extraordinary courage and fortitude throughout this ordeal." Giving a statement in front of two union jacks, he said: "We are a peaceful people. We do not seek out confrontation, but we need to understand we cannot ignore this threat to our security and that to our allies. There is no option of keeping our heads down that would make us safe. The problem would merely get worse, as it has done over recent months, not just for us but for Europe and the rest of the world. We cannot just walk on by if we are to keep this country safe. We have to confront this menace.
The US carried out at least nine air strikes last week. The UK has pledged to help arm the Kurdish resistance forces in Iraq. These actions were both cited in the video message, titled A Message to the Allies of America, as reasons behind the killing of 44-year-old Haines. "Step by step, we must drive back, dismantle and ultimately destroy Isil and what it stands for. We will do so in a calm and deliberate way, but with an iron determination. We will not do so on our own, but by working closely with our allies, not just the United States and in Europe, but also in the region because this organisation poses a massive threat to the entire Middle East."
The masked killer ended the video with a warning over a second British hostage, named in the international press and on social media as Alan Henning, another aid worker. Listing five things the government will do, Cameron said the UK would back the Iraqi government and arm the Kurds, work with the UN to mobilise against Isis, support the US air strikes, continue with humanitarian aid and protect UK citizens against terrorism at home.
Before his death, Haines read a statement holding Cameron directly responsible for his execution, while the Isis fighter addressed Cameron directly, saying Haines "has to pay the price for your promise". His remarks do not appear to represent a change of strategy, but he appeared to have increased his rhetoric against Isis, keeping the option of joining air strikes open. UK Tornadoes are currently helping with surveillance and intelligence-gathering.
It is the third video released on the internet showing what appears to be the same Islamic State fighter with a British accent beheading a hostage and threatening the next one. The Foreign Office said all the signs were that the video appeared to be genuine. Two previous videos showed the murders of the US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff. Cameron said: "This is not about British combat troops on the ground, it is about working with others to extinguish this terrorist threat. As this strategy intensifies, we are ready to take whatever steps are necessary to deal with this threat and keep our country safe."
Barack Obama condemned the "barbaric murder" of Haines. "Our hearts go out to the family of Mr Haines and to the people of the United Kingdom," he said. "The United States stands shoulder to shoulder tonight with our close friend and ally in grief and resolve. The British prime minister is under pressure to join the US military action from some within his party, including former defence secretary Liam Fox. However, other Tory MPs are more reluctant to see Britain get caught up in war in Iraq once more.
"We will work with the UK and a broad coalition of nations from the region and around the world to bring the perpetrators of this outrageous act to justice, and to degrade and destroy this threat to the people of our countries, the region and the world." Cameron has said he would consult parliament – currently in recess – before taking any military action, unless there was a need to take last-minute emergency action. But he is likely to need the support of Labour and the Liberal Democrats in order to avoid losing the vote, like he did last year when the government argued it should be prepared to join strikes against Syria.
The prime minister is due to make a last visit to Scotland this week but his attention may now be diverted away from the independence referendum towards events in the Middle East. Alex Salmond, the Scottish first minister, said the killing was "an act of unspeakable barbarism" and said he had called a separate Holyrood "resilience meeting". The prime minister returned to Downing Street late on Saturday night after releasing a statement just before midnight condemning the murder as an "act of pure evil". He said the UK would do "everything in our power to hunt down these murderers and ensure they face justice, however long it takes".
Cameron has promised to seek the support of parliament if the UK joins a military campaign against Islamic State, unless it is an emergency, last-minute action. The US carried out at least nine air strikes last week, while the UK has pledged to help arm the Kurdish resistance forces in Iraq. These actions were both named in the video message, entitled A Message to the Allies of America, as reasons behind the killing of Haines.
However, he is likely to need the support of Labour – which did not support last year's government motion to back air strikes in Syria – as there is still unease among some on the Conservative backbenches about the idea of joining another war. The masked killer ended the video with a warning that a second British hostage, named in the international press and on social media as Alan Henning, a British aid worker. Haines, who had spent 12 years in the RAF, was captured as he worked for French aid agency Acted in 2013.
Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, said acts such as the murder of Haines "will not weaken but strengthen the resolve of Britain and the international community to defeat Isil [Isis] and their ideology". Before his death, he read a statement holding Cameron directly responsible for his execution, while the Isis fighter addressed Cameron directly, saying Haines "has to pay the price for your promise".
"I am sickened at the disgusting, barbaric killing of David Haines," he said. "He was somebody whose only purpose was to help innocent people, themselves victims of conflict. That Isil would choose to kill him says everything about their warped logic and murderous ways … My deepest condolences and thoughts are with his family as they cope with this terrible crime. And the hearts of the British people will go out to them." It is the third video released on the internet showing what appears to be the same Islamic State fighter with a UK accent beheading a hostage and threatening the next one. The Foreign Office said all the signs are that the video appears to be genuine. Two previous videos showed the murders of US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.
Douglas Alexander, the shadow foreign secretary, told Sky News's Murnaghan programme that there was "no question that this is a threat that is going to have to be confronted – principally by those in the region". The US president, Barack Obama, also condemned the "barbaric murder" of Haines. "Our hearts go out to the family of Mr Haines and to the people of the United Kingdom," he said. "The United States stands shoulder to shoulder tonight with our close friend and ally in grief and resolve. We will work with the UK and a broad coalition of nations from the region and around the world to bring the perpetrators of this outrageous act to justice, and to degrade and destroy this threat to the people of our countries, the region and the world."
Sir Menzies Campbell, a former Liberal Democrat leader who strongly opposed the Iraq war, said it was not possible for the UK to rule out direct military action against Isis. The prime minister is due to make a last visit to Scotland this week but his attention may now be diverted away from the independence referendum towards events in the Middle East. Alex Salmond, the Scottish first minister, said the killing was "an act of unspeakable barbarism" and revealed he had called a separate Holyrood "resilience meeting".
"You have to ensure, as I say, you've got a clear set of both political and military objectives," he told LBC 97.3. "And there's always the tendency – and remember, we're not dealing with people who don't understand these things. We're dealing with highly sophisticated, sometimes highly educated, very clever people whose whole objective is to try to recreate what President Bush rather unwisely called 'the war on terror'. Ed Miliband MP, the Labour leader, said on Saturday night that acts such as the murder of Haines "will not weaken but strengthen the resolve of Britain and the international community to defeat Isil (Isis) and their ideology".
"They regard themselves as warriors, they regard themselves as being engaged in a war and of course as soon as you recognise that then you give them some justification and that's what they're out to try and provoke the British government into doing." "I am sickened at the disgusting, barbaric killing of David Haines," he said. "He was somebody whose only purpose was to help innocent people, themselves victims of conflict. That Isil would choose to kill him says everything about their warped logic and murderous ways … My deepest condolences and thoughts are with his family as they cope with this terrible crime. And the hearts of the British people will go out to them."
Separately, Lord Dannatt, a former chief of the UK army, said the strength of Islamic State would grow if the government did not "confront and destroy" its influence. Douglas Alexander, Labour's foreign affairs spokesman, told Sky News's Murnaghan programme that there was "no question that this is a threat that is going to have to be confronted – principally by those in the region".
Separately, Lord Dannatt, a former chief of the UK army, warned that the strength of Islamic State would grow if the government did not "confront and destroy" its influence.
British Muslims from the Islamic Society of Britain have objected to politicians calling the terrorist group Islamic State, saying it lends the group legitimacy and has become a slur on their faith.British Muslims from the Islamic Society of Britain have objected to politicians calling the terrorist group Islamic State, saying it lends the group legitimacy and has become a slur on their faith.
On Sunday, Dr Shuja Shafi, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said British Muslims "condemn unreservedly the murder of our fellow Briton David Haines". On Sunday, Dr Shuja Shafi, the secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said British Muslims "condemn unreservedly the murder of our fellow Briton, David Haines".
"Our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of Mr Haines," he said. "David Haines went out to the region to help the people of the region. That extremists chose to murder him only shows once again the depravity of their warped ideology. They have killed so many innocent people in the region, and they perform such murders only to draw attention to their cause of destruction."Our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of Mr Haines," he said. "David Haines went out to the region to help the people of the region. That extremists chose to murder him only shows once again the depravity of their warped ideology. They have killed so many innocent people in the region, and they perform such murders only to draw attention to their cause of destruction.
"These extremists in Iraq and Syria claim to be acting in the name of Islam. But there is nothing in our faith that condones such behaviour. Muslims in Britain and around the world have condemned these people, and the arguments they use have been refuted comprehensively as being far from the religion of Islam.""These extremists in Iraq and Syria claim to be acting in the name of Islam. But there is nothing in our faith that condones such behaviour. Muslims in Britain and around the world have condemned these people, and the arguments they use have been refuted comprehensively as being far from the religion of Islam."