'Jihadi John' on government 'kill list' of British IS fighters

"Hard military force" will be needed to get rid of Syria's president Assad and the so-called Islamic State - also known as Isil - and bring stability to the region, the Prime Minister has said.

Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions, David Cameron said:

"Assad has butchered his own people and Isil have in their own butched butchered others an millions have fled Syria.

"We can do all we can as a moral, humanitarian nation to help people...but we have to be part of the international that says we need an approach in Syria which will mean a government that can look after its own people.

"Assad has to go. Isil have to go. And some of that will require...on occasion hard military force."

• More: Jihadi John 'among terrorists on government kill list'

The UK informed the United Nations about its drone strike on an Islamic State militant in Syria, claiming the hit had been a "necessary and proportionate" action.

In the letter, dated yesterday - the same day Prime Minister David Cameron revealed to MPs that the strike had taken place - representative Matthew Rycroft said the target was "known to be actively engaged in planning and directing imminent armed attacks" against the UK.

The targeted attack in Syria last month killed two fighters for the so-called Islamic State, Reeyad Khan and Ruhul Amin, who were both from the UK.

Mr Rycroft said it had been in the interests of self-defence for Britain, as well as the collective defence of Iraq, where the extremist group has taken over swathes of land.

The British militants killed last month by an RAF drone attack in Syria "knew exactly what to expect" as a consequence of joining the so-called Islamic State, a senior Liberal Democrat peer has told ITV News.

Lord Carlisle, the peer responsible for the independent review of terrorism legislation between 2001-2011, made the comments during an interview in which he defended the government's decision to carry out the airstrike and dismissed suggestions that the raid was in breach of international law.

• More: David Haines' daughter: More drone strikes are needed

The UK is currently facing a "series of plots and terror attacks", the Defence Secretary has told ITV News.

Mr Fallon has warned that further attacks on UK soil are being planned by "a number" of so-called Islamic State militants inside Syria, but could not give out specific details because of security reasons.

Earlier, Fallon said the Government would "not hesitate" to repeat the action that led to Britons being killed by an RAF drone in the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqah last month, and that further strikes were possible.

• More: Amnesty: UK 'conducting summary executions' from the air

Britain has "crossed a line" by using RAF drone strikes to target Islamic State militants in Syria and is apparently "conducting summary executions from the air", a worldwide human rights charity has warned.

Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said:

• 'More drone strikes possible', says Defence Secretary

Further drone strikes against Islamic State militants plotting to attack the UK could be launched within weeks, the Defence Secretary has said.

Michael Fallon said the Government would "not hesitate" to repeat the action that led to Britons being killed by an RAF drone in the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqah last month.

Mr Fallon defended the move and said the Government would use military strikes again if there was no other way to stop the terror cells.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, he said:

• More: Airstrike on IS Brits 'absolutely legal'

It was "extremely likely" that an armed attack was to be carried out by the British members of the so-called Islamic State who were killed by an RAF airstrike in Syria, the Defence Secretary has said.

Speaking on GMB, Michael Fallon said that strike was "absolutely legal" but was unable to give further details about the planned attack on British soil, but confirmed a public event was the target.

It is the right of any country to defend itself against armed attack, Mr Fallon said.

"There was no other way of dealing with these particular terrorists, they weren't going to come back to this country to be prosecuted or stand trial", he said.

Experts say that Armed Forces Day or the VJ Day celebrations were the most likely targets.

Fallon swerved questions about a government sanctioned "kill-list", insisting that it was the IS militants that had such list but said but said he "would not hesitate" to carry out a similar strike.

• More: PM 'could face legal challenge' over Syria drone strike

A former head of the British Army has suggested a government-sanctioned drone strike that killed two British terrorists in Syria "may well not be right".

Speaking to Sky News, General Lord Dannatt questioned whether launching the attack without the backing of MPs - who voted against strikes in Syria two years ago - was the right thing to do.

"I'm accepting that the British parliament has not authorised action from the air over Syria at the present time," he said.

"For all I know British drones have been operating in the airspace but gathering intelligence - delivering explosive ordnance and attacking issues is another matter.

"And by the letter of what parliament has authorised, that may well not be right."