UK Could Strike Against IS In Libya And Syria

David Cameron has arrived in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim democracy, with a message that "the pressure is growing on ISIL".

And he warned that he would be prepared to take military action against Islamic State - also known as ISIL - in Libya and Syria if there was a threat to people on Britain's streets.

He said: "If there is a threat to Britain or to our people or our streets and we can stop it by taking immediate action against that threat, then I as Prime Minister will always want to try to take that action and that's the case whether that problem is emanating from Libya, from Syria or anywhere else."

Clarifying his position he added: "What I have said with respect to Libya or indeed anywhere else - if there is a plot under way where I believe British citizens are in danger of being targeted, if it's possible to take action to stop that, I would.

"That is legal, that is right, that is proper and that's the role of the Prime Minister."

He said in the first instance the help given in Libya would be advice, training and support for a new Government: "The problem in Libya is that they haven't had a Government that's been able to deliver and that should be our focus and that's why for instance we've helped with training military personnel so we should go on doing all of those things".

Mr Cameron spoke to Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu over the weekend after Turkish armed forces mounted their most intensive attacks on the terror group.

He said: "I think it's good that Turkey is stepping up its action against ISIL and ISIL targets and I think there's more we can do in terms of cooperation on counter-terrorism, particularly stopping foreign fighters from going through Turkey into Syria."

Speaking to journalists on the plane to Jakarta, he said: "I think frankly what's happening is the pace is quickening and the pressure is growing on ISIL and you'll see that from what the Turks are doing but also Britain is keeping up the pace as well in terms of what Britain is doing in Iraq.

"We're all working very closely together to put the squeeze on ISIL to restrict what it does - we've always said it has to be degraded and then destroyed and that remains the goal".

While in Indonesia and Malaysia, the Prime Minister will offer both nations expertise in counter-terrorism amid fears that Islamic State's next area of growth will be Southeast Asia.

Approximately 500 people from Indonesia - home to the world's largest Muslim population - are feared to have travelled to Iraq and Syria to fight.

Mr Cameron said meetings with the leaders of these countries would include "how we can cooperate to keep our people safe and what we can learn from moderate Muslim states like Malaysia and Indonesia".

The Prime Minister's four-day trip to Southeast Asia also takes in Singapore and Vietnam, and is he says "mostly about our economic ties".

Mr Cameron will hold talks with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta.

During his meeting at their headquarters, he will call for ASEAN and the EU to begin negotiations on a free trade agreement, which could provide an annual boost of £3bn to the British economy - the equivalent of £120 per household.

He said: "This is a very important area, very fast growing, a big opportunity for business and investment".

Mr Cameron is travelling with 31 business leaders from across the UK and business deals worth £750m will be signed during the tour, creating 270 new jobs in Britain.

He also hopes to make progress on a new set of Development Goals to replace the UN's 2015 targets.

He will argue for the new targets to include a drive against corruption. He will also seek to enlist the nations to sign up to a legally binding deal to curb climate change in Paris at the end of the year.