Attack ‘serious threat’

Khan was “prominent in attack planning on behalf of Daesh; directly inciting individuals to conduct attacks”.

The committee’s report disclosed that Khan and Hussain were connected to an unspecified number of the seven major plots thwarted in the UK in 2015.

It said: “It is to the agencies’ credit that their investigation of Khan’s activities revealed these plots which they were then able to disrupt, thereby avoiding what could have been a very significant loss of life.”

The report said it was clear that Khan was orchestrating and inciting a significant number of attacks, some of which could have been launched within a short period of time.

However, the committee said its inquiry has revealed wider policy issues surrounding the strike itself, notably around the ministerial decision-making process and the assessment of collateral damage.

Mr Grieve said: “We are in no doubt that Reyaad Khan posed a very serious threat to the UK. There is nevertheless a question as to how the threat is quantified and in this instance whether the actions of Khan and his associates amounted to an ‘armed attack’ against the UK or Iraq – which is clearly a subjective assessment.

“However, we have been unable to consider how ministers made that assessment since we were denied sight of the key ministerial submission.

“This failure to provide what we consider to be relevant documents is profoundly disappointing.”

A government spokeswoman said relevant departments and agencies “co-operated fully” with the ISC in the preparation of the report, adding: “There will be a formal government response to the committee’s report in due course.”

“Khan was prominent in attack planning on behalf of Daesh”

TERROR: MPs given access to intelligence reports said they were ‘in no doubt’ of danger posed by Reyaad Khan, left, who died along with Abdul Raqib Amin, right