Britain is to join the war against ISIS, after the UK Parliament overwhelmingly backed air strikes targeting the terrorists in Iraq.
Prime Minister David Cameron said there was a “strong case” for extending the air strikes into Syria. He warned that the war against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) was likely to last for “years”.
During an emergency session of Parliament on Friday, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour MPs largely united as they voted 524 to 43 in favour of joining military action in Iraq.
The FBI said earlier this week it had identified Jihadi John, the British terrorist who has been filmed apparently beheading Western hostages.
Last night, six RAF Tornados based in Cyprus were poised to strike targets in Iraq within hours. The military intervention marks the third war in Iraq involving British personnel in the past 25 years.
Britain is now on high alert for revenge attacks after a series of arrests over the past two days. Counter-terrorist police yesterday arrested two men on the M6 near Rugby.
The Prime Minister said: “‘Is there a threat to the British people? The answer is yes. ISIL has already murdered one British hostage and has threatened to murder two more.
“ISIL is a terrorist organisation unlike those we have dealt with before. The brutality is staggering — beheadings, crucifixions, gouging out of eyes, use of rape as a weapon. All those things belong to the Dark Ages. This is about psychopathic terrorists who are trying to kill us. Like it or not they have already declared war on us.” Mr Cameron said Isil posed a direct threat to Britain, citing six plots linked to the terrorist group which had been foiled across Europe.