Jihadist Killed In Drone Attack Might Have Targeted Guildford

Published on: 8 Sep, 2015
Updated on: 8 Sep, 2015

The Duke of York, the prime minister and the secretary of state for defence were among the dignitaries who attended Armed Forces Day in Guildford.

Armed Forces Day, held in Guildford on June 27 this year, might have been the target of a planned attack by Isis fighter Reyaad Khan, killed in a British drone strike in Syria in August.

The use of drones, unmanned aircraft operated remotely to carry out such strikes, is controversial. The government is facing calls to release more information about the decision process leading to the attack.

Prime Minster David Cameron said the targeting of Khan in the Isil stronghold of Raqqah was justified on the grounds of “self-defence”, as he and another jihadist Junaid Hussain, killed in an US drone attack, were actively involved in orchestrating a number of plots to attack “high-profile public commemorations” over the summer.

Armed Forces Day was one of several major commemorations that may have been targeted including a service attended by the Queen to mark the 70th anniversary of VJ Day, and events to mark the 10th anniversary of the July 7 attacks on the London transport network.

Downing Street has declined to identify which events were targeted because of the need to avoid compromising ongoing prosecutions.

Over 30,000 people were estimated to have attended Armed Forces Day in June which passed without incident despite a heightened terrorist risk announced at the time.

The attendance of the prime minister and the Duke of York and the public concentration of service personnel in Guildford would have made a high profile target.

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