Cameron puts the UK on a war footing in Iraq – but not Syria

• David Cameron recalls parliament to discuss military intervention in “broad coalition”
• 14 jihadi fighters and five civilians reported killed in US airstrikes in Syria
• Iraqi PM raises fears of “credible” threats against US and French transport systems
• UK Government releases its legal position on war and the motion MPs will debate
• FBI says it has identified “Jihadi John”

Parliament will meet on Friday to discuss the British response to a request from the Iraqi government for help in battling Islamic State jihadis – who have carved out a caliphate from large chunks of the Syria and Iraq.

Downing Street released the motion that MPs will debate, as well as a summary of its legal position on war, on Thursday evening.

The motion condemns the barbaric acts of the Islamic State group, backs the coalition contributing to “military support of the government of Iraq”, and backs UK air strikes in Iraq – but not Syria.

The key lines are: “This house… notes that this motion does not endorse UK air strikes in Syria as part of this campaign, and any proposal to do so would be subject to a separate vote in parliament; accordingly supports Her Majesty’s government, working with allies, in supporting the government of Iraq in protecting civilians and restoring its territorial integrity, including the use of UK air strikes to support Iraqi, including Kurdish, security forces’ efforts against ISIL in Iraq; notes that Her Majesty’s government will not deploy UK troops in ground combat operations.”

Speaking to the United Nations on Wednesday evening, Mr Cameron told delegates that Britain would “play its part” against the “psychopathic, murderous, brutal” jihadis.

We should be uncompromising, using all the means at our disposal – including military force – to hunt down these extremists. David Cameron

The UK’s last flirtation with the possibility of military action in the Middle East ended in stalemate, with parliament failing to agree on a motion that could have led to targeted airstrikes against the army of brutal Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.

But Mr Cameron said he was confident of receiving cross-party support for military intervention against Islamic State.

However, the British prime minister also warned that the UK should not be “frozen” because of military failures of the past – namely the 2003 Iraq war.

“We must not be so frozen with fear that we don’t do anything at all,” Mr Cameron said.

“Isolation and withdrawing from a problem like Isil will only make things worse. We must not allow past mistakes to become an excuse for indifference or inaction.”

Public support?

Action against Islamic State should be “comprehensive, intelligent and inclusive”, working with partners in the region, potentially including Iran.

Mr Cameron added: “We should be uncompromising, using all the means at our disposal – including military force – to hunt down these extremists.”

And as the PM placed the UK on a war footing, Iraq’s prime minister Hainer al-Abadi said it had “credible intelligence” that Islamic State group had plans to launch attacks on subway systems in Paris and the United States. The White House said it had not yet confirmed the threats. However, US intelligence did appear to confirm something else late on Thursday – with the FBI announcing that it had uncovered the identity of “Jihadi John”, who is thought to have appeared in Islamic State group beheading videos.

But, in the face of threats like this, will strikes make people feel safer? At the moment it remains unclear: British public support for military intervention in the Middle East is still up for debate.

A ComRes poll last month found that 45 per cent of people supported airstrikes against Islamist militants, compared to 37 per cent who opposed. A Channel 4 News Facebook poll has shown people narrowly against Britain joining in with US-led airstrikes.

Public support?

Action against Islamic State should be “comprehensive, intelligent and inclusive”, working with partners in the region, potentially including Iran.

Mr Cameron added: “We should be uncompromising, using all the means at our disposal – including military force – to hunt down these extremists.”

And as the PM placed the UK on a war footing, Iraq’s prime minister Hainer al-Abadi said it had “credible intelligence” that Islamic State group had plans to launch attacks on subway systems in Paris and the United States. The White House said it had not yet confirmed the threats. However, US intelligence did appear to confirm something else late on Thursday – with the FBI announcing that it had uncovered the identity of “Jihadi John”, who is thought to have appeared in Islamic State group beheading videos.

But, in the face of threats like this, will strikes make people feel safer? At the moment it remains unclear: British public support for military intervention in the Middle East is still up for debate.

A ComRes poll last month found that 45 per cent of people supported airstrikes against Islamist militants, compared to 37 per cent who opposed. A Channel 4 News Facebook poll has shown people narrowly against Britain joining in with US-led airstrikes.

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Post by Channel 4 News.

Meanwhile the US is continuing to carry out airstrikes against the Islamic State. Overnight, it was reported, US airstrikes killed 14 jihadi fighters and five civilians.

The third night of airstrikes targeted Islamic State-controlled oil refineries in eastern Syria – a bid to curtail the group’s finances.

At the UN Barack Obama issued a plea to the international community to join the coalition against Islmaic State, in order to “dismantle this network of death”.

“No God condones this terror. No grievance justifies these actions. There can be no reasoning – no negotiation – with this brand of evil,” the US president said.

One country which has previously been silent, Turkey, looked as if it was likely to join the coalition on Wednesday.

“We are seriously considering military cooperation with the United States to combat IS,” a senior Turkish official said on Wednesday.

Islamic State fighters have been advancing towards the Turkish border in recent weeks. Capturing border posts would be a major strategic victory.

Terror arrests

Separately, nine arrests were made in the UK on Thursday by the Counter Terrorism Command, including radical preacher Anjem Choudary, and a number of properties were searched, including one in Stoke on Trent.

The men are suspected of supporting a banned terror group.