UK says wrong to rely on allies in tackling ISIS

It is wrong for Britain to rely on allies to protect it from ISIS militants, defence secretary Michael Fallon said, calling on lawmakers to consider the case for extending airstrikes to Syria from Iraq.

The British government this week denied that it had dropped plans to seek parliamentary approval for British airstrikes in Syria after several newspapers reported it had done so because it had failed to get enough backing from opposition lawmakers. “I am asking MPs particularly to reflect on the fact that the streets of Britain at the moment are being kept safe by American, Australian and French aircraft striking at the heart of ISIS in north-east Syria from where ISIS is organised and directed,” Mr Fallon told the BBC.

“ISIS is a very direct threat to us in Britain and it’s not right morally to rely on French or Australian or American aircraft to keep our streets safe.” British tourists will begin flying home from the Egyptian resort of Sharm al-Sheikh on Friday with extra security measures in place after PM David Cameron said a bomb probably downed a Russian airplane.

Mr Fallon said the government would hold a series of intelligence briefings for lawmakers over the next few weeks to try to build a political consensus for extending Britain’s involvement in the conflict, the BBC reported. “If we’re serious about tackling ISIS, in the end we have to be prepared to strike at ISIS headquarters, which is in Syria, not Iraq,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Turkish police swooped on ISIS suspects in the Mediterranean resort of Antalya on Friday, barely 10 days ahead of a summit of world leaders.

Turkey also deported a group of Moroccans detained on suspicion they were planning to head to Syria to join ISIS fighters. The country, shaken by a string of deadly attacks blamed on ISIS militants, is on high alert ahead of the Group of 20 gathering on November 15-16 that will bring together a host of leaders, including US Pres-ident Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin.