Britain Could Launch Air Strikes on Libya, David Cameron Warns
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – David Cameron has said he is ready to launch “immediate” air strikes against terrorists in Libya if British lives are in danger.
The British Prime Minister declared that the anti-ISIL coalition is putting “a squeeze on” the terrorist network through a “quickening pace of attacks”.
“If there is a threat to Britain or to our people on our streets, and we are able to stop it by taking immediate action against that threat, as Prime Minister I will always want to try and take that action. That is the case whether that problem is emanating from Libya, from Syria or anywhere else,” the Prime Minister said.
The comments do not indicate that he is preparing a campaign like that in Syria to destroy the “caliphate” established by so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), but are an indication of his readiness to act if warnings of a Sousse-style attack emerged, The Telegraph reported.
Cameron was speaking at the start of a five-day tour of South East Asia where he will push for greater security co-operation with the governments of Malaysia and Indonesia.
There are growing fears the region is becoming a breeding ground for ISIL militants.
Up to 500 fighters from each country have gone to Iraq and Syria, and a dedicated Bahasa-speaking unit of Indonesian and Malaysian fighters has been formed with the intent of forming a south east Asian caliphate. They are said to have formidable contacts within networks in the region, and may be poised to launch devastating terrorist attacks.
Abu Bakr Bashir, the Indonesian preacher linked to the Bali bombing which killed 202 people including 28 Britons, has sworn allegiance to ISIL, and propaganda videos have been released online in local languages.
Mr Cameron welcomed the start of bombing raids by Turkey to “downgrade and then destroy” ISIL, and spoke to Prime Minister Davutoglu on Saturday night.
“The pace is quickening and the pressure is growing on ISIL. I think you see that from what the Turks are doing, but also Britain has been keeping up pace in terms of what we have been doing in Iraq.
“We have been working closely together to put the squeeze on and restrict what it does. We have always said it needs to be degraded and then destroyed, and that remains the goal.”
