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

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 Raqqa last month.

ITV News understands there are at least five people on a government 'kill list'. One is that of Mohammed Emwazi - the man known as 'Jihadi John' who has been filmed beheading Islamic State hostages.

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Defence Secretary: Airstrike on IS Brits 'absolutely legal'

Micheal Fallon said the airstrike in Syria was 'self defence' Credit: GMB

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.

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