Tri-Service

Cameron: Seven UK Terror Attacks Stopped In Last Six Months

David Cameron says British security services have prevented seven terrorist attacks in the last six months, as he warned a Paris-style attack "could happen here".

The Prime Minister is meeting Vladimir Putin on the fringes of the G20 summit in Turkey as Western allies try to persuade the Russian president to co-operate in the international struggle against terror group Islamic State (IS).

It comes in the wake of large-scale attacks in Paris and the downing of a Russian jetliner over Egypt - both of which have been blamed on IS.

Mr Cameron said he hoped the talks with the Russian president will be "positive" and said there were hopeful signs that a political solution could be found but admitted there would be "compromises".

He added that the terror spree in France "was the sort of thing we warned about" in planning with the security services but such atrocities meant "you have to go right back to the drawing board" to work out what more steps needed to be taken.

Asked if Britain was at war with IS, the premier said the UK stands in "total solidarity" with France and would do "everything we can" to defeat the jihadis. He added:

"We have been aware of these cells operating in Syria that are radicalising people in our own countries, potentially sending people back to carry out attacks.

"Our security and intelligence services have stopped something like seven attacks in the last six months, albeit attacks planned on a smaller scale."

It comes after Mr Cameron announced that the government is to recruit 1,900 security and intelligence agents and double the £9 million annual spend on aviation security in response to the terror threat.

The measures will mean a 15% increase in the 12,700-strong staff of security and intelligence agencies MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.

The French Ambassador, meanwhile, has said the country would support the UK joining in with airstrikes in Syria. Sylvie Bermann told Good Morning Britain:

“We would of course appreciate to be with our closest allies in Syria as well as in Iraq but I understand there is a decision to be taken here, in particular in the Parliament."

But the Labour Party will only consent to extending military action if there is a UN mandate to do so, according to a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn.

The Shadow International Development Secretary, Diane Abbott, told Sky News: "As far as Labour's policy in relation to Syria, we actually discussed this at party conference and we have a policy.

"We can only agree to bomb in Syria first of all if there is a UN resolution and also, and this is my particular concern, if there is a plan to deal with the refugees that will result from further military action."

When asked if the Paris attacks had changed any of that, Ms Abbott said: "Yes, it is a game changer in that it makes the need to resolve the civil war in Syria even more urgent than it was and that's part of Labour party's policy, that we put the need for a diplomatic solution to the Syrian civil war right at the top of the agenda."

Mr Cameron, meanwhile, said he will not hold a vote on extending British military action into Syria until he knows he has the support to get it through because failing would be "damaging" for Britain's "reputation in the world".

He said: "Isil don't recognise a border between Iraq and Syria and neither should we. But I need to build the argument, I need to take it to Parliament, I need to convince more people."