Former Attorney General says killing of British ISIS militants could be legally challenged

A former Attorney General has said the killing of two British ISIS militants in Syria could be challenged in court.

Dominic Grieve QC MP told ITV News that the “self defence” killing of Reyaad Khan and Ruhul Amincould be legally justified so long as it was a provable they posed a risk to the public.

He added the strike could be looked at by theindependent terrorism reviewer or challenged in court, saying: “Whether that legal challenge succeeds or how far it gets… is a different issue”.

The Prime Minister David Cameron told MPs this week that “The Attorney General was consulted and it was clear there would be a clear legal basis for action in international law.

“We were exercising the UK’s inherent right to self-defence.

“There was clear evidence of the individuals in question planning and directing armed attacks against the UK.

“These were part of a series of actual and foiled attempts to attack the UK and our allies.”

The Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said the government would “not hesitate” to make more drone strikes.

Mr Fallon said the RAF attack was a “perfectly legal act of self defence” and that one of the men had been planning a number of attacks on the UK.

Mr Khan, 21, was born in Cardiff and was killed in the Syrian city of Raqqa on the northern bank of the Euphrates.

Mr Amin, 26, was identified as a British national from Aberdeen.