MPs digest drone strike against Cardiff man in Syria

Kevin Brennan - Reyaad Khan's former constituency MP

There was a widespread sense of shock among MPs as they returned to Westminster to hear David Cameron outline the details of the killing of Reyaad Khan.

Cardiff West Labour MP Kevin Brennan told the prime minister: "The House will have surprised to find that the manner of his death has been by a drone strike against a British citizen in Syria."

Mr Brennan said there would be questions about what happened from MPs and the family. He asked Mr Cameron to be "as forthcoming as he can with explaining the nature of the threat that this 21-year-old man posed to the United Kingdom in the light of the action that he has outlined to the House today."

The prime minister said he would be as forthcoming as he could be but said he was restricted "because of operational sensitivities and national security reasons."

In his statement, he told MPs: "Both Junaid Hussain and Reyaad Khan, were British nationals based in Syria who were involved in actively recruiting ISIL sympathisers and seeking to orchestrate specific and barbaric attacks against the West including directing a number of planned terrorist attacks right here in Britain, such as plots to attack high profile public commemorations, including those taking place this summer."

The prime minister's official spokeswoman later made clear that the threat against commemorations included those that took place before the August 21 operation. Asked if the threat was against the royal family, she said: "The threat was against Britain and the security of the British people."

The prime minister insisted what he called a "precision airstrike" against Khan was "entirely lawful" although the government will not publish the attorney general's advice.