'Asbos For Extremists' To Tackle UK Jihadists

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Home Secretary Theresa May is planning to bring in new laws to tackle the threat of British jihadists - including "anti-social behaviour orders" for extremists.

Mrs May will announce a three-point plan to counter British Muslim extremists, warning that the security threat to the UK will continue for decades.

The measures would target the activities of radical preachers, such as Anjem Choudary, whose extreme rhetoric currently does not constitute a crime.

Full details are yet to emerge, but the new power will be designed to restrict extremists' behaviour and language.

As with an Asbo, it could result in a criminal conviction carrying a jail term if breached.

Mrs May has unveiled her crackdown in an article in the Daily Telegraph.

Theresa May's warning echoes recent comments from David Cameron

She discloses that she will make it illegal to join extremist groups that preach violent views, but are not directly involved in terrorism.

Currently, the threshold for banning membership of organisations, such as the Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIL), requires the Home Secretary to prove that the group is directly involved in terrorist acts.

The new power could target Islamist political organisations and other Muslim groups that tacitly support extremism.

In addition, state-funded organisations such as councils and schools will be given a new legal obligation to combat extremists.

Mrs May uses the Telegraph article to echo a warning about extremism made by the Prime Minister in a newspaper report last weekend.

The Home Secretary writes: "We are in the middle of a generational struggle against a deadly extremist ideology.

Cardiff students Khan (L) and Muthana (C) appeared in an IS video

"We will be engaged in this struggle for many years, probably decades. We must give ourselves all the legal powers we need to prevail.

"I am looking again at the case for new banning orders for extremist groups that fall short of the legal threshold for terrorist proscription, as well as for new civil powers to target extremists who seek to radicalise others."

The measures proposed by Mrs May are similar to recommendations for legislation made by the Government's Extremism Task Force last December.

Those recommendations were surprisingly omitted from the Queen's Speech this year.

But there is no suggestion yet that the Home Secretary plans to introduce emergency legislation when MPs return to the Commons on September 1.

David Cameron said during his brief return to Downing Street from his holiday after the murder of journalist James Foley that there would be "no knee-jerk reaction".

Radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary

The problem of radicalisation was highlighted in June when two Cardiff students - Reyaad Khan, 20, Nasser Muthana, also 20, - were identified in a propaganda video for IS posted on YouTube.

The two men along with Muthana's younger brother Aseel, 17, were lured to join extremists fighting in Syria and Iraq.

And a jihadi fighter in Syria told Sky News in July that he was training British teenagers as young as 16 to fight in the war.

Yvette Cooper, Labour's shadow home secretary, said: "More action is needed to respond to the serious problem of people travelling to fight with ISIL.

"The Home Secretary's confirmation that she is continuing to look at the recommendations of the Prime Minister's Taskforce, announced last December, is welcome.

"Though there remains no detail on things like civil powers to tackle extremists or extremist groups for people to consider.

"However I remain concerned that the Government is not addressing the gaps in the Prevent programme - especially the lack of support for community led approaches to preventing radicalisation.

"And the Home Secretary also needs to respond to the concerns raised by the current and previous Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation about the decision to weaken control orders, where they have advised that stronger measures should be put in place."

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Iceland Raises Volcano Aviation Warning To Red

A surge in seismic activity has caused Iceland to raise the aviation alert for its Bardarbunga volcano from orange to red.

"There is an ongoing eruption beneath the glacial surface, probably a small eruption which has not been able to melt the ice cap," Met Office official Theodor Hervasson said.

Code red indicates that eruptions are imminent or underway that could disperse clouds of ash and dust into the flight paths of jet aircraft, threatening safe air travel.

An eruption in 2010 of the Eyjafjallajokul volcano produced an ash cloud that caused international aviation chaos, with more than 100,000 flights cancelled.

2010: Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupts disrupting 100,000 flights

Aviation regulators since have reformed policies about flying through ash, so a new eruption would be unlikely to cause that much disruption.

Thousands of mini earthquakes rattled the volcano deep beneath the Vatnajokull glacier over the past week, causing authorities to evacuate several hundred people from an area north of the glacier.

Met Office vulcanologist Melissa Pfeffer said scientists planned to fly over the glacier today to look for any changes to its surface. 

Bjorn Malmquist from the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service said: "It's too early to say if flights will be disrupted. 

"A small eruption started 40 minutes ago but we have yet to see how powerful it is. It will take a couple of hours for the eruption to work its way through 500m of glacial ice above. Until then there's not much we can say about the air traffic.

"As long as there is water and magma interaction there will be a lot of ash and explosions in the eruption itself, but its probably not going to be of the same kind in 2010. This will probably be more a fissure eruption, a sub-glacial eruption."

A spokeswoman for NATS, the UK's air traffic control organisation, said: "We are monitoring the situation and working in close collaboration with the Met Office, Department for Transport and our safety regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority."

More follows...

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IS Has Iraqi Towns In Lockdown As Battles Rage

Kurdish forces are struggling to defend themselves against Islamic State (IS) militants in northeast Iraq and are appealing for more international help.

There has been fighting around towns including Jalula and Sa'dya, which have been controlled by the well-armed Sunni extremists for several weeks.

The IS insurgents have seized large swathes of the country since a June offensive but have been hit by US airstrikes in some areas including around Mosul Dam.

However, Sky's Chief Correspondent Stuart Ramsay, reporting from outside Jalula, north of Baghdad, said the Kurdish peshmerga fighters want more weaponry from the outside world and are "getting little or no air support".

Thousands of peshmerga and counter-terrorism soldiers have been deployed, including many around the town.

Sky's Stuart Ramsay outside the town of Jalula

He said the Kurds have some heavy weapons but the equipment is old, while the jihadists "have modern equipment and lots of money".

Ramsay said the two sides are fighting to control territory not the towns themselves as IS have them "under total lockdown".

The Kurds are trying to cut their supply lines and one fighter told Sky News: "We need weapons to make the battle equal."

Ramsay said: "Peshmerga front-line positions are regularly hit from far away. There are scorch marks and burning patches everywhere."

Roadside bombs laid by the extremists are also "causing more casualties than ever before," he added.

Meanwhile, eight people have been killed after a suicide bomber blew up a vehicle packed with explosives at the interior ministry's intelligence headquarters in Baghdad.

PM designate Haider al Abadi is trying to form a more inclusive government

It comes a day after a sectarian attack at a mosque killed at least 68 Sunni Muslims, plunging efforts to form a united front against the jihadists into crisis.

Officials say a suicide bomber blew himself up in the Imam Wais mosque north of Baghdad, with Shia militiamen picking off fleeing worshippers with machine guns.

Diyala has seen heavy fighting between Iraqi troops and IS. File pic

Attacks on mosques are acutely sensitive and have in the past unleashed a deadly series of revenge killings and counter attacks in Iraq.

The attack, in Diyala province, is seen as a blow to government efforts to secure backing from Sunni groups in its battle against the extremists.

The US says the killing of James Foley was a "terrorist attack" on America

Prime Minister designate Haider al Abadi, a moderate Shia, is attempting to form a more inclusive government following the resignation of outgoing PM Nouri al Maliki.

But two influential Sunni politicians - Parliamentary Speaker Salim al Jabouri and Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al Mutlak - have now pulled out of talks with the main Shia political alliance after the massacre.

The US, which is carrying out airstrikes against militants, has ramped up its rhetoric over the beheading of journalist James Foley.

In Washington, Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said the murder "represents a terrorist attack against our country".

He said the US would not be restricted by the Iraq-Syria border when it considers further action against IS militants.

Having poured in from Syria across a desert border that it does not recognise, the Islamist movement has declared its own caliphate.

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Russia Aid Trucks 'Took Ukraine Military Goods'

A Ukrainian army spokesman has accused Russia of using aid trucks to take production equipment from two military plants.

A convoy of about 200 vehicles entered the country on Friday without the permission of the Ukraine government - and left on Saturday after dropping its cargo.

However, military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said the trucks had taken equipment from a factory in Luhansk that makes firearm magazines and a Topaz plant that produces radars.

The convoy's departure comes as German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Kiev for talks with Ukraine's pro-Western leaders on the conflict, which has claimed more than 2,200 lives.

Russian aid trucks pictured upon their return to the border crossing

Ms Merkel called for a bilateral ceasefire ahead of talks between President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko in three days' time.

"There must be two sides to be successful. You cannot achieve peace on your own. I hope the talks with Russia will lead to success," said Ms Merkel.

"The plans are on the table - now actions must follow."

Ms Merkel, who did not rule out more sanctions against Russia, is due to hold discussions with Mr Poroshenko.

The Ukrainian President has maintained that pro-Kremlin fighters must leave before the conflict can end.

"The Ukrainian side and our European partners will do everything possible to bring about peace - but not at the price of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the independence of Ukraine," he said.

Ukraine continues to pound rebel strongholds such as Luhansk and Donetsk, where water has been cut off and supplies are dwindling.

Ms Merkel will hold talks with Mr Poroshenko

At least two civilians were killed by shelling on Saturday.

Sky's Foreign Affairs Correspondent Lisa Holland said: "If anyone can broker a breakthrough it is Ms Merkel.

"She is one of the few Western - and indeed world - leaders who Mr Putin appears to have time for and both know a further decline in Russian-EU relations will hit each other's economies even more."

Russia rolled in its convoy on Friday, saying any delay in providing humanitarian aid was "unacceptable".

It had been agreed the lorries - which had waited on the Russian side of the border for a week - would only be allowed into eastern Ukraine if they were escorted by the International Red Cross.

However, the charity pulled out after not receiving enough security guarantees as fighting continues to rage.

Kiev's foreign ministry informally allowed the convoy to pass to avoid "provocations".

Russia previously let journalists look inside a handful of the lorries, which it said were carrying 1,800 tonnes of aid including food, water, medicine and electrical generators.

A Ukrainian rebel controls an area after a shelling in Donetsk

This was questioned by Nato's top military commander, Philip Breedlove, who claimed the trucks looked like a disguised attempt to reinforce separatist forces. Russia denies backing the rebels.

The UN Security Council discussed the convoy on Friday and no country came to Russia's defence, according to British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant.

Members called it an "illegal and unilateral" action.

Following a phone call, US President Barack Obama and Ms Merkel condemned the act.

They also expressed concern that the large numbers of Russian troops on the Ukraine border and fighting in eastern parts of the country represented a "dangerous escalation".

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Fast And Furious Pirate Jailed For 33 Months

A computer programmer who filmed Fast & Furious 6 from the back of a cinema then uploaded it to the internet has been jailed for almost three years.

The pirate copy of the film was downloaded 779,000 times, costing one of Hollywood's biggest film-makers almost £2.5m.

Philip Danks, 25, from Walsall, West Midlands, was the first person in the world to record and distribute the movie illegally after filming it on its release day on May 17 last year.

A court heard a special "webwatch" team - set up by LA-based Universal Pictures because the film was so valuable - spotted his copy spreading across the internet.

He was caught when fraud investigators noticed that his online tag 'Thecod3r' attached on the video was identical to his profile on dating website Plenty of Fish.

He was arrested at his home on May 23.

Two days later, he bragged on Facebook: "Seven billion people and I was the first. F*** you Universal Pictures."

Danks boasted on Facebook: "Seven billion people and I was the first"

On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to three charges of distributing pirate copies of films and was jailed for 33 months.

The court heard that he made just £1,000 from selling copies of the film for £1.50 - while the cost to Universal was estimated at £2.3m.

Sentencing Recorder Keith Raynor said: "This was bold, arrogant and cocksure offending.

"You approach to the film industry was made clear in the posting you made on Facebook two days after your arrest.

"I accept the personal profit was modest but the real seriousness of this case is the loss caused to the film industry as a whole."

Prosecuting on behalf of the Federation Against Copyright Theft, Ari Alibhai said: "The film was Universal Picture's most significant release of that year with both the biggest production costs and expected revenue.

The pirated film was recorded at a cinema in Walsall, West Midlands

"The estimated loss to the industry caused by the defendant's actions is conservatively estimated at £2.3m but he did not receive money from the online distribution."

The court heard that although he made money from selling versions of his copy via Facebook or by personal delivery his real motive was "street cred."

Mr Alibhai added: "The first person with a pirated version attracts much kudos. He wanted recognition from the community."

Mr Christopher Loach, defending, said: "He has no real qualifications and is not a man of means.

"He has no substantial assets of any sort and his financial gain has been extremely limited but he was obviously aware that it was a popular film that would be of interest."

Following his arrest, Danks was freed on police bail pending further inquires but continued to offer a dozen films he had copied.

Danks kept people posted on the case through Facebook - but while awaiting sentence he conceded: "Not loking (sic) good"

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Final Email Gave Hope To James Foley's Parents

The parents of James Foley said they regarded an email sent by his captors earlier this month as a hopeful sign despite a threat they would kill him.

John and Diane Foley have released the text of the email they received on August 12 - a week before the video that showed their son being beheaded by an Islamic State militant.

"We hadn't heard from Jim's captors since December," John Foley said of the email, appearing with his wife on NBC's Today.

"I actually was excited to see an email despite the conclusion that they would execute Jim.

"I underestimated that point. I did not realise how brutal they were."

The Foleys said they had set up a special email address and sent multiple messages to try to engage the captors.

James Foley resting in a room at the airport of Sirte, Libya in 2011

"We were just anxiously waiting," Diane Foley said.

In the last email, the Islamic State said: "You do not spare our weak, elderly, women or children so we will not spare yours!

"You and your citizens will pay the price of your bombings! The first of which being the blood of the American citizen, James Foley!

"He will be executed as a direct result of your transgressions towards us!"

In the message, IS claimed it had given the US "any chances to negotiate the release of your people via cash transactions as other governments have accepted".

However, Mr Foley's family said this was not true.

They said they had to wait about a year from when Mr Foley went missing in November 2012 for the first email from his kidnappers.

John and Diane Foley, the parents of James Foley

In that message they demanded money.

After the militants proved to the family and investigators they were holding the 40-year-old, they made a ransom demand of £80m ($132.5m).

The next time the family heard from the captors was on August 12.

GlobalPost, one of the news organisations Mr Foley worked for, said it chose to publish the message in full "in the interest of transparency and to fully tell Jim's story".

"We believe the text offers insight into the motivations and tactics of the Islamic State."

In the email, the kidnappers explain their wish for US-educated, Pakistani-born scientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui to be released.

James Foley in Libya in 2011

Siddiqui was found with documents on chemical weapons, dirty bombs and viruses when she was arrest in Afghanistan in 2008. She is serving 86 years in a US jail.

Speaking on NBC, the Foleys said they felt comforted by Pope Francis, who called them on Thursday to express his condolences.

Mrs Foley said the Pontiff, who lost some relatives in an accident recently, was "so kind" to call "in the midst of his tremendous grief".

As efforts continue to track down Mr Foley's killer, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the threat posed by IS is "beyond anything we have seen".

The group said it beheaded Mr Foley in retaliation for US airstrikes in Iraq aimed at reversing the sweeping gains made by IS this summer.

Counter-terrorism police in the UK have already begun efforts to identify the black-clad man seen in the video killing Mr Foley.

Although his face is covered, he speaks with an English, possibly London, accent.

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'Russian Build-Up Near Ukraine Alarming'

Nato says it has witnessed an "alarming build-up of Russian military forces near the border with Ukraine, as Kiev described a Russian aid convoy as a "direct invasion".

Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the increase in ground and air forces just miles from where the Ukrainian military is battling pro-Moscow separatists could lead to the further isolation of Russia. 

"We have also seen transfers of large quantities of advanced weapons, including tanks, armoured personnel carriers and artillery to separatist groups in eastern Ukraine," he said in a statement.

Ukraine insisted the aid convoy entered under the auspices of the Red Cross

Ukraine laimed more than 100 trucks from a Russian aid convoy crossed into the country without permission on Friday. 

It had been agreed the lorries would only be allowed into eastern Ukraine if they were escorted by the International Red Cross.

But the charity has pulled out after not receiving enough security guarantees as fighting continues to rage.

Kiev's foreign ministry said it had informally allowed the convoy to pass to avoid "provocations" and state security chief Valentyn Nalivaychenko said his country will not use force against it.

President Poroshenko is due to meet Russia's leader next week

But he also said: "We consider this a direct invasion by Russia of Ukraine. Under the cynical guise of the Red Cross these are military vehicles."

A spokesman for the European Union foreign affairs chief Baroness Ashton criticised Russia for a "clear violation" and urged Moscow to reverse its decision.

The vehicles are carrying water, generators and sleeping bags reportedly intended to help civilians in the city of Luhansk, where pro-Russian separatist fighters are besieged by Ukrainian government forces.

The trucks, part of a 280-lorry convoy, had been held at a border crossing for a week amid suspicions by Kiev that the mission was being used as a cover for an invasion by Moscow.

Sources said Germany's Angela Merkel would push for a ceasefire

But dozens of the Russian vehicles have now moved into the east of the country despite both sides in the months-long conflict ignoring pleas for a ceasefire.

"They passed into Ukraine without clearance or participation of the International Red Cross or (Ukrainian) border guards," said military spokesman Andriy Lysenko.

Ukraine has been reluctant to let the convoy through over fears it is carrying supplies for the rebels, despite Moscow's insistence the goods were simply humanitarian aid.

The 280-truck convoy departed from near Moscow more than seven days ago

The transit comes as the Ukrainian president said he would tell Russia's Vladimir Putin to rein in pro-Moscow separatists, when the two leaders meet next week.

Petro Poroshenko said he would tell President Putin that Ukraine had "a strong country, a strong army" behind him.

He said: "We are capable of defending our sovereignty, our independence and our territorial integrity - we are fighting for the independence of Ukraine. Together we will win for sure."

Mr Poroshenko spoke as government forces, despite taking heavy losses themselves, thrust deeper into rebel-held eastern territory, putting pressure on separatists.

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IS Threat: 'West May Have To Talk To Syria'

The former head of the British Army says the West should consider negotiating with Syria's president to tackle Islamic State (IS) forces in Syria and Iraq.

Lord Dannatt said the time may have come to talk to Bashar al Assad about collaborating in the fight against IS which now controls large areas of the two countries.

He told Sky News: "You have to at least consider the otherwise unpalatable thought that maybe we've got to have some kind of dialogue, whether it's under the counter or over the counter, with President Assad of Syria.

"The old dictum that my enemy's enemy is my friend just might have some credence in this less than satisfactory and pretty extraordinary set of times that we are in."

Red shows areas controlled by IS, yellow shows areas of fighting

However, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has ruled out working with Mr Assad - who is accused of carrying out war crimes, including chemical attacks, during his country's three-year civil war.

In Iraq, at least 68 people were killed when Shia fighters opened fire on minority Sunni Muslims in a village mosque in Baquba, Diyala province.

Residents said 150 worshippers were in Imam Wais mosque on the Muslim day of prayer when militiamen burst in with machine guns.

The bloodbath is a major setback for Prime Minister-designate Haider al Abadi, from the majority Shia community, who is seeking support from Sunnis and ethnic Kurds to take on IS.

A Kurdish peshmerga fighter

Attacks on mosques are acutely sensitive and have in the past unleashed a deadly series of revenge killings and counter attacks in Iraq.

Elsewhere, Kurdish forces have launched a major assault to try to retake the northeast Iraqi towns of Jalula and Sa'dya.

Sky's Alex Crawford, reporting from the outskirts of Jalula, said the operation was being carried out by the Kurdish military's elite counter-terrorism unit, backed up by peshmerga forces.

She said the towns, near the Iranian border and semi-autonomous Kurdish region, had been under IS control for more than two months.

James Foley in Libya in 2011

Kurdish forces have already taken back a major checkpoint, which Sunni militants had controlled.

Crawford said: "What is significant about this assault is that they (the Kurds) are doing this pretty much entirely on their own.

"They've had very little air support. There is no evidence of any outside weaponry, military hardware to back them up."

Militants vowed to attack US targets in another video clip

On Thursday, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said IS jihadists pose the most dangerous threat America has faced for years.

The group, which beheaded American journalist James Foley in response to US airstrikes in Iraq, is "beyond just a terrorist group", he said.

"They marry ideology, a sophistication of strategic and tactical military prowess. They are tremendously well-funded," he added.

US airstrikes in Syria have not been ruled out.

When asked about that possibility, Mr Hagel said Washington is "exploring all options".

The fighter who killed James Foley

General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, also did not discount attacks on IS fighters in Syria.

"This is an organisation that has an apocalyptic, end-of-days strategic vision and which will eventually have to be defeated," he said.

Michael Scheuer, a former CIA senior officer, said defeating IS will require an "enormous" number of Western troops on the ground which would mean an "enormous bloodbath".

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Wrong-Way Motorway Smash Captured On Video

Dramatic video footage of a police car smashing into a vehicle being driven the wrong way down a motorway has been released.

An officer is heard repeatedly shouting "He's gonna hit us" as the Honda Jazz travels towards them at 50mph in the dark on the M6 toll road near Lichfield.

The police dashboard camera then captures the moment the officers deliberately crash into the car, being driven by a 77-year-old man with dementia.

Police realise they are about to be hit, but block the car

The police driver is heard telling his colleague: "I had to mate." The officer replies: "I know you did, I know you did."

The police force has praised the bravery of the traffic officers for choosing to engineer the collision to prevent the car from hitting oncoming traffic.

The male driver, from Rowley Regis in the West Midlands, had earlier been reported missing by his family.

He was not hurt in the crash on the northbound carriageway of the motorway. One of the officers suffered a minor injury in Monday's incident.

The police car is partly spun around after being struck

Inspector Greg Jennings, force traffic manager, said: "Traffic officers are highly trained to make good decisions in difficult situations and a very challenging environment.

"These officers have kept their resolve in the face of a serious threat to ensure the safety of the public directly behind them."

Inspector Mark Watkins, of Central Motorway Police Group, said the officers hit the side of the car in a manoeuvre usually used in pursuits.

"It's a recognised pursuit tactic in order to bring incidents to a conclusion," he said.

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James Foley's 'British' Killer: What We Know

As intelligence officials scramble to identify the black-clad killer of James Foley, few details have emerged.

This is what is known so far of the Islamic State (IS) militant who appears in a propaganda video that shows the beheading of Mr Foley.

The militant who appears in the video

:: "JOHN"

According to a former hostage cited by the Guardian's Martin Chulov, the man calls himself John.

He appears to be left-handed and of average height and built. 

:: ACCENT

Experts say the man speaks with a southeastern English accent. Some identified it as east London. Other possibilities include Essex and Kent.

The voice is one of the things experts will be looking at as they examine the video. Phonetic software will be employed to highlight obvious characteristics in his voice.

Mr Foley went missing in November 2012. Pic: Jonathan Pedneault

:: BEATLES

Mr Chulov told Sky News that, according to the former hostage, John is one of three Britons who act as the guards of foreign prisoners in the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa.

Some former hostages refer to this group as "The Beatles".

:: NEGOTIATOR

John has been involved in negotiations with relatives of other hostages in the past. He is believed to have conducted negotiations that led to the release of 11 hostages earlier this year. The release was granted in exchange for huge amounts of cash, according to news reports. 

His face has never been shown, either to hostages or to their relatives in Skype conversations during the negotiations.

Mr Foley's killing has been condemned as barbaric

:: LEADER

John appears to be in charge of the group. Mr Chulov described him as the "leader of the pack".

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Sam Kiley said he appears to enjoy a high level of responsibility within the Islamic State. "This is the interface between IS and the outside world, it's through these hostages.

"Therefore this is a senior figure within it."

:: WELL EDUCATED

The Telegraph reported John was a well-educated, intelligent and highly committed member of IS. Mr Chulov said John likely to have been fighting with IS for at least a year.

:: POSSIBLE MOTIVES

Shiraz Maher, a senior researcher at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, said Mr Foley's beheading is the first time IS has used a "directly confrontational approach" to the Western world.

Other experts noted that using an English-speaking militant in the brutal video is meant to scare the West by showing that IS has the ability to recruit from the West and hit Western targets.

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Video Shows Yazidis 'Converting To Islam'

An Islamic State video has emerged purporting to show dozens of captured Yazidi people converting to Islam.

The footage emerged shortly after the group released a video showing one of its black-clad fighters beheading American journalist James Foley.

The latest film, titled "Hundreds of Yazidis convert to Islam", gives no indication of the bloodshed that prompted tens of thousands of people to flee.

In the video, two Islamic State fighters field questions in Arabic. One of the fighters is a bearded middle-aged man dressed in black with an AK-47 assault rifle.

The men get off a bus and greet militants

The other is dressed in a crisp grey military uniform and camouflage cap.

"What has been said is the opposite of reality," the older man says.

He also says that Islamic State has provided the Yazidis with everything they need.

"Men, women and children have converted and I was with them and they are happy with their conversions," he says.

The video shows men asking questions to Islamic State fighters

He adds: "We advise the Yazidis to come down from the mountain and convert."

This is a reference to Mount Sinjar, where thousands who feared death at the hands of the militants took refuge.

"If they stay on the mountain, they will die of starvation and thirst. This talk about aid from Western and crusader countries is all lies.

"If they convert, we will give them everything they need. They will live a happy life."

Thousands of Yazidis have been displaced by the IS advance

The video then shows dozens of Yazidis getting off a bus, walking past a truck mounted with an anti-aircraft weapon and hugging Islamic State militants.

IS fighters had previously threatened members of the ancient religious group with death if they failed to convert to Islam.

IS has been accused of killing hundreds of Yazidis since the militants moved into the area of northern Iraq where the community lives.

More than 400 men were reported to have died in the village of Kocho over two days and their families forced to move with IS militants to Tal Afar.

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US Launches Criminal Probe Into Foley Killing

A criminal investigation has been launched into the beheading of American journalist James Foley, US Attorney General Eric Holder said.

A video was released of the reporter being killed by a militant from the Islamic State (IS) in which the group says it is acting in retaliation for US airstrikes in Iraq.

Counter-terrorism police in the UK have already begun efforts to identify the black-clad man beheading the 40-year-old.

Although his face is covered, he speaks with a British accent.

People previously held hostage by IS have suggested he may be a jihadist known as "John" who was part of a group guarding captives in Syria. 

A former hostage, who was held for a year in the Syrian town of Raqqa, told The Guardian the killer was the ringleader of a trio of UK-born extremists the captives nicknamed "The Beatles" because of their nationality.

Mr Foley's killer is believed to be British

IS pressed the American government to provide a multi-million-dollar ransom for Mr Foley's release, according to The New York Times.

The US - unlike several European countries that have given millions to the terror group to spare their citizens - refused to pay, the paper said.

American airstrikes have continued against IS forces in northern Iraq, despite the group threatening to kill a second US captive if attacks go on.

US Navy fighters and drones provided air cover to Iraqi and Kurdish forces trying to retake and maintain control of Mosul Dam.

The US military has carried out 90 air strikes in Iraq since August 8, with 57 of them in support of Iraqi government forces near the dam.

The US has launched 57 airstrikes around Mosul Dam

Meanwhile, Interpol has called for a globally co-ordinated push to stop the tide of international fighters joining IS, also known as Isis.

It did not give any specific recommendations, but said it is particularly concerned that Mr Foley's killer may be British.

"(This highlights) the need for a multilateral response against the terror threat posed by radicalised transnational fighters travelling to conflict zones in the Middle East," said Interpol Secretary-General Ronald Noble.

More than 1,000 radicals from Europe have joined Islamist militants in Syria and Iraq, and Interpol has long warned of the threat such fighters pose.

European governments fear they could stage attacks when they get home and have introduced new anti-terrorism measures to try to catch them or stop them leaving in the first place.

Earlier, a US journalist and Muslim convert - who has experience of Western jihadi fighters in Syria - told Sky News the UK Government's approach to the issue is completely wrong.

Bilal says UK Government is 'totally clueless' in how to deal with IS

Bilal said: "Isis realises that by using a Western voice to push the narrative for them, it would get a coverage that they would not have gotten, had that been a Syrian voice or an Iraqi voice."

He added: "They operate very much like a gang-like mentality. There are some Brits that are there that wanted out ... but they don't have any place to go. Where are they going to go to exactly?

"The issue is that if they were to leave the ranks of Isis (are) they going to trade that for a UK jail cell?

"I think that the British government is totally clueless in terms of how to deal with this issue ... and despite the education that a lot of their leaders have, they appear as if they are totally perplexed."

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IS Beheads US Journalist James Foley In Video

Islamic State militants have released a video that shows the beheading of a US journalist who went missing two years ago.

The footage shows a masked man - speaking in English with an English accent - killing James Foley, who was seized by armed men in Syria in November 2012.

In the five-minute propaganda video, posted on social media sites by Islamic State sources, the man says Mr Foley was being killed because Barack Obama had ordered airstrikes against IS positions in northern Iraq.

Just hours after the video was released, a US official said American drones had carried out nearly a dozen airstrikes in Iraq since Tuesday.

The journalist, dressed in an orange jumpsuit like those worn by Guantanamo inmates, is seen kneeling in the desert before he blames the US for his death, in a statement presumably prepared by his abductors.

He then says: "I wish I had more time, I wish I could have the hope of freedom and seeing my family once again, but that ship has sailed." 

Mr Foley in Syria before he was captured. Pic: Nicole Tung

He is then beheaded.

The group also claimed to be holding another American journalist, Steven Sotloff, who appears at the end of the video, and said his life depended on the US President's next move.

On Wednesday, the FBI said it believed the video to be authentic.

A statement issued by Mr Foley's mother, Diane Foley, said: "We have never been prouder of our son, Jim. He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people.

"We implore the kidnappers to spare the lives of the remaining hostages. Like Jim, they are innocents. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world.

John and Diane Foley, Mr Foley's parents

"We thank Jim for all the joy he gave us. He was an extraordinary son, brother, journalist and person. Please respect our privacy in the days ahead as we mourn and cherish Jim."

Mr Foley, 40, was an experienced correspondent who had covered the war in Libya before heading to Syria to follow the revolt against Bashar al Assad for the GlobalPost, AFP and other outlets.

Philip Balboni, GlobalPost chief executive and co-founder, said the firm had been informed that the FBI is evaluating the video to determine whether it was authentic.

"We ask for your prayers for Jim and his family," he said.

According to witnesses, Mr Foley was seized in the northern Syrian province of Idlib on November 22, 2012.

The car he was travelling in was stopped by four militants in a contested battle zone that both Sunni rebel fighters and government forces were trying to control.

His family has not heard from him since, despite a public campaign for information.

IS militants have captured large areas of northern Iraq and Syria

Several senior US officials with direct knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press that IS very recently threatened to kill Mr Foley to avenge the American airstrikes over the last two weeks.

The strikes targeted militants advancing on Mount Sinjar, the Mosul Dam and Kurdish capital Irbil.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the video, voiced by an IS fighter with a British accent, was  "an appalling example of the brutality of this organisation".

Mr Hammond told Sky News: "This is an evil organisation with an evil ideology."

"I reject any suggestion British foreign policy is providing any excuse for what ISIL is doing," he added.

Mr Hammond said the IS extremists posed a major threat, not only to stability in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East, but also to the UK's domestic security.

The Foreign Secretary also said he did not believe the US would be "cowed" by IS threats to kill US journalist Steven Sotloff, who they claim to be holding.

Prime Minister David Cameron returned to Downing Street from his holiday early after the beheading, which came just days after he warned Europe could be facing a "poisonous" terrorist state on its doorstep.

Prosecutors in Austria also revealed on Wednesday they have detained nine people suspected of intending to join IS militants in Syria.

The release of the video comes a day after IS militants threatened to attack US targets in another video where they warned "we will drown all of you in blood".

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Who Is 'Briton' Who Beheaded James Foley?

Counter-terrorism police in the UK say they are investigating the British-accented Islamic State fighter who beheaded journalist James Foley.

In a video posted by the militant group to social media sites, the man speaks in English as he says US airstrikes are to blame for the killing of the 40-year-old American.

The killer, who is clad in black and covers his face during the video, appears to have a London accent, appears to be left-handed and is of average height.

The Metropolitan Police Service Counter Terrorism Command said it was investigating the contents of the video.

James Foley was made to read out a statement before he was killed

It added: "We would like to remind the public that viewing, downloading or disseminating extremist material within the UK may constitute an offence under Terrorism legislation."

At least 400 people are known to have travelled from the UK to Syria and Iraq to fight for Islamic State (IS) - formerly known as Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Concerns have been raised that radicalised young men from Western countries will return to their home nations and could be used to carry out attacks.

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sherine Tadros said: "We know that around 400 British nationals have joined IS, probably more than that in the last few months as their recruitment has gone into overdrive.

Abdullah Deghayes was killed while fighting in Syria in May

"Now they are being used in these more serious videos to try to pressure foreign governments - and also people in these countries - to try to pressure their governments not to intervene."

Security agencies, including the FBI and MI5, will be tracking those who have travelled to Iraq and Syria to join the militant organisation.

A Home Office spokesperson added: "The police and security services are actively working to detect and disrupt terrorist threats.

"People seeking to travel to engage in terrorist activity in Syria or Iraq should be in no doubt we will take the strongest possible action to protect our national security, including prosecuting those who break the law.

"We also have a wide range of powers at our disposal to disrupt travel and manage the risk posed by returnees."

Nasser Muthana, centre, has been disowned by his father

Radicalisation expert Shiraz Maher told Sky News that Britons were at the "forefront" of the IS conflict and were "not taking a back seat" in the violence.

Crawley father-of-three Abdul Waheed Majeed, 41, became the first Briton suspected of staging a suicide bomb attack when he attacked a jail in Aleppo in February.

In May, 18-year-old Abdullah Deghayes, from Brighton, was killed while fighting in Syria alongside his two brothers Jafar and Amer.

In June, Cardiff students Nasser Muthana and Reyaad Khan - both 20 - appeared alongside Abdul Raqib Amin, from Aberdeen, in an IS recruitment video urging Westerners to join the fighting.

Amin, 26, was reportedly killed in a gun battle near Ramadi in July, while Ahmed Muthana said he had disowned his two sons, Nasser and Aseel, when they joined IS.

And earlier this month, 25-year-old former Primark supervisor Muhammad Hamidur Rahman, from Portsmouth, was reportedly killed while fighting for IS in Syria.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said authorities were closely monitoring those attempting to join IS.

He said: "We have a substantial programme here in the UK which seeks to intercept people who are at risk of being attracted by extremist ideologies.

"We have powers to withdraw passports from people we believe are likely to go and join extremist organisations and commit violence abroad.

"And of course we have powers to arrest them and prosecute them on their return."

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Cliff Richard Pulls Out Of Portugal Ceremony

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent In Portugal

Sir Cliff Richard has pulled out of a ceremony where he was to be awarded the Keys of the City of Albufeira near his holiday home in Portugal.

The millionaire pop star, who is facing an historical sex assault allegation, was to receive the region's top civic honour on Wednesday.

A dozen others were given medals of merit during a day of celebrations to mark the granting of an ancient charter.

Sir Cliff told officials he would not be there and stayed in his villa in the hills above the Algarve resort where he has had a summer home for more than 50 years.

Mayor Carlos Silva e Sousa told Sky News: "Cliff was to receive the gold Key of the City because he is a distinguished member of Albufeira.

The claim relates to an event held by preacher Billy Graham in 1985

"He is not here today because it is his choice, but we have kept the invitation and hope to give him his award some time."

The city's full council voted in secret and unanimously to make the award two weeks ago.

The mayor said Sir Cliff had planned to attend the ceremony but sent a message recently to say he had to decline the invitation.

Mr Silva e Sousa added that he was aware of the police investigation into an allegation that Sir Cliff had sexually assaulted a young boy at an evangelical rally in Sheffield in 1985.

He said: "I don't know why he is not here. It doesn't change my opinion of him. We are very proud of him. He is a big man."

Police searched Sir Cliff's home in Berkshire last week

Officials said they had agreed with Sir Cliff's decision because his presence would have overshadowed the ceremony.

The medals of merit were awarded to three individuals - one posthumously - and nine organisations who were said to have promoted Albufeira around the world.

Sir Cliff bought his first villa here in 1961 in a resort that has become popular with British holidaymakers.

Twenty years ago he bought a bigger home and planted a vineyard on a plot near a bigger estate where he makes his own wine in partnership with a friend.

He spends several weeks at his Portugal home each summer, usually arriving after visiting the Wimbledon tennis championships and staying until September.

Sir Cliff performs at the O2 Arena in 2009

He has rarely been glimpsed on the 30-acre estate since police raided his UK home in Berkshire last week.

Sir Cliff has also pulled out of a performance at Canterbury Cathedral in September and apologised for the disappointment and inconvenience.

He has described the sex allegation as "completely false" and said he would co-operate with the police investigation.

Detectives said they want to speak to him and are expected to interview him in the next few weeks.

Sir Cliff's close friend Cilla Black said earlier this week she is "absolutely positive" the allegation is untrue.

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PM Holds Crisis Talks After Journalist Killed

David Cameron is meeting senior intelligence officials in Downing Street after cutting short his holiday following the beheading of a US journalist.

The Prime Minister's return follows the release footage appearing to show a masked man - speaking with a British accent - killing James Foley, who was seized by armed men in Syria in November 2012.

Mr Cameron, who had been on a family break in Cornwall, did not respond to questions from waiting journalists, heading instead straight into No 10 holding his official red box.

Earlier, he said: "If true, the murder of James Foley is shocking and depraved. I will today chair meetings on the situation in Iraq/Syria."

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the video appeared to be genuine and was "an appalling example of the brutality of this organisation".

Mr Hammond told Sky News: "This is an evil organisation with an evil ideology."

US journalist James Foley was killed by a man with a British accent

The PM will be briefed by senior intelligence officials and the Foreign Secretary as investigations are carried out following the release of the horrific video footage by Islamic State (IS) extremists.

Scotland Yard, which leads counter-terror policing in the UK, has confirmed it is investigating the video and reminded social media users that spreading extremist material is a crime.

Mr Cameron had only been in Cornwall for a day, where he was pictured with his wife Samantha sipping coffee at Surfside cafe on Polzeath beach in Wadebridge.

He insisted he remained in control while on holiday and was "always within a few feet of a BlackBerry".

Earlier this month, the PM had to cut short a holiday to Portugal to respond to the Iraq crisis, and said he would do the same again "instantly" if necessary.

Mr Cameron has said Britain should use all its assets, including its "military prowess", to help tackle the threat posed by Islamic State (IS) extremists in Iraq, but insisted the UK would not get drawn into another war.

Mr Cameron had said he was ready to return from his holiday if needed

Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander MP said: "The horrific footage of the killing of James Foley has shocked and outraged the world.

"Suggestions that the attack may have been carried out by a UK national are particularly concerning and the Government must now work with international partners to establish the facts and uncover any possible information about the perpetrator."

Meanwhile, the French President Francois Hollande said the crisis in Iraq represented the "most serious" international situation since 2001.

Meanwhile, UKIP leader Nigel Farage has called on the Government to stop Britons who have gone to fight for IS from returning.

He said: "It would be totally unforgivable and unacceptable for UK nationals who have made the decision to go and fight for Islamic State militants in the Middle East to be permitted to return to the UK and quietly slide back into our communities to take advantage of all that modern Britain has to offer."

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Man Arrested Over Tilbury Container Death

Police in Northern Ireland have arrested a man in connection with the death of an immigrant who was found in a container at Tilbury Docks in Essex.

The 34-year-old, from Limavady in County Londonderry, was arrested just after midday on the A1 at Banbridge on suspicion of manslaughter and facilitating illegal entry.

He is currently in the custody of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) ahead of being returned to England for questioning by Essex Police.

Mr Kapoor was one of 35 Afghan Sikhs in the container

PSNI officers are also searching his home to help the investigation.

Meet Singh Kapoor, 40, from Afghanistan, was found dead inside the airtight container on a P&O Ferry on Saturday.

He is understood to have died in his children's arms. A post-mortem examination was unable to establish how he died.

Mr Kapoor was one of 35 Afghan Sikhs, including 13 children, from Kabul who were found the container.

The alarm was raised after "banging and screaming" could be heard from the container when it arrived at Tilbury on a ship from Zeebrugge in Belgium on Saturday morning.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Martin Pasmore, of Essex Police, said: "This is a fast-moving investigation which has already involved a number of police forces and law enforcement agencies from across the United Kingdom and Europe.

Tilbury Docks is east of the capital

"I am very grateful to officers from the PSNI for their assistance this morning.

"We will continue to work closely with all of our policing colleagues as we pursue our investigation to bring those responsible for this crime to justice."

Those who survived the ordeal are now applying for asylum in the UK and under the care of the Home Office.

"We are continuing to provide expert support, along with the National Crime Agency, to the Essex Police investigation into the discovery of 35 people in a container at the port of Tilbury on Saturday," a Home Office spokesman said.

"This tragic incident is a reminder of the devastating human consequences of illegal migration and we will do all we can to help bring those responsible to justice."

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Horror Video Of Snipers Picking Off 'Fishermen'

Fiji police are analysing a video which appears to show fishermen being shot dead at sea by unknown gunmen.

The 10-minute video - which was uploaded to YouTube by an unknown source - shows the men clinging to the remains of an upturned boat as shots are fired from what appears to be a commercial vessel.

One of the commercial vessels seen in the video

The film shows some of the men on the boat, which appears to be a tuna fishing vessel, laughing and posing for photographs after the killings.

Interpreters said languages heard on the video included Mandarin, Thai and Vietnamese, while the markings on one of the boats reportedly identify it as Taiwanese.

Fiji Police spokesman Atunaisa Sokomuri said it was too early to confirm whether the footage was genuine.

"There is no clear evidence to identify the victims as Fijian citizens, nor is there a clear indication of where or when this gruesome incident took place," he said.

The president of the Fiji Tuna Boat Owners Association, Graham Southwick, told Pacific Beat radio that Taiwanese boat contractors in Suva have claimed the footage shows the aftermath of a failed hijacking off Somali last year.

Men on the vessel laughed and posed for pictures after the killings

"It's a very famous incident and this didn't happen in Fiji, it happened off the coast of Somalia," he said.

"And the graphic pictures you see of people gunned in the water are not Fijians, but Somali pirates that attempted a hijack of some Taiwanese vessels that attempted a hijack that backfired and they all got gunned down.

Authorities have asked for help from Interpol and other Pacific nations to identify the vessels seen in the video.

Fairfax Media New Zealand, citing Fijian police sources, has reported that a student found the footage on a mobile phone left in a taxi in the Fijian capital, Suva.

Fiji is home to a large tuna fishing fleet, with many of the vessels from so-called "distant water" nations who ply the Pacific because it is one of the few regions where stocks, though declining, are still relatively abundant.

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