UK: We share 'common enemy' with Assad but won't help him

UK Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond has fiercely denounced the apparent beheading of US journalist James Foley by Islamic State in Syria saying that the footage, was "an appalling example of the brutality of this organisation".

The video, released on Tuesday, shows an IS militant with a seemingly British accent, threatening the West and explaining that the group was beheading Foley in response to the US intervention in Iraq, which has seen US fighter jets pound IS positions in recent weeks.

"We're absolutely aware that there are significant numbers of British nationals involved in terrible crimes, probably in the commission of atrocities, making jihad with Isil [now known as IS] and other extremist organisations," Hammond told UK media on Wednesday.

"This is something we have been tracking and dealing with for many, many months and I don't think this video changes anything. It just heightens awareness of a situation which is very grave and which we've been working on for many months."

However, while Hammond called IS a common enemy he was quick to dispel rumours that the West was considering intervening in Syria, where IS has long controlled swaths of territory.

The instance of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” does not apply in Syria, he explained.

The West has long called for Syrian president Bashar al-Assad - embroiled in a brutal three-and-a-half-year uprising against his rule - to step down, but as IS has gathered ground, analysts have questioned if a policy reversal might be on the cards.

Hammond’s comments have further sparked controversy about the foreign secretary’s hints that the world should work closer with “moderate jihadist”. The term is often used to refer to militant groups like Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaeda’s representative in Syria, which disavowed, and has been battling with IS, since the start of the year. 

Prompted by the Foley killing, Fance's Francois Hollande has now announced that he will arrange an international conference on the threat posed by IS

"I think we are in the most serious international situation since 2001 ... I will therefore propose an initiative on security in Iraq and the fight against Islamic State, from September," Hollande told Le Monde newspaper, according to a text released in advance by his office.