Jeremy Corbyn refuses to say drone strike on White Widow was right and says Sally Jones should have been put on trial
The Labour leader dodged questions on a 'hypothetical situation' and said that anyone who had committed a crime should be 'put on trial' instead
JEREMY CORBYN has refused to say whether he would issue a drone strike against terrorist Sally Jones.
Last night The Sun revealed that the British jihadi had been killed by a strike fleeing Isis.
US spy chiefs told their British counterparts that jihadi Jones, who fled the UK to be an ISIS recruiter, died in June.
But the Labour leader has distanced himself from the move today, and insisted she should have been put on trial for her crimes instead.
Mr Corbyn told ITV today: "I think people who have committed crimes ought to be put on trial and that way of course when you interrogate somebody you get more information about the background to it."
He also said "it is difficult to give an answer to a hypothetical question."
"I think we have to look at very carefully the effects on the civilian population of any bombing that takes place before a decision takes place. You have to look at all the facts."
The US Air Force Predator strike is said to have taken place close to the border between Syria and Iraq.
A Whitehall source today confirmed Jones's death after she left her home in Chatham, Kent, with her 12-year-old son JoJo in 2013 to join ISIS in Syria.
But the Labour leader has distanced himself from the move, and insisted she should have been put on trial for her crimes instead.
The US Air Force Predator strike is said to have taken place close to the border between Syria and Iraq.
And Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said today that while he couldn't comment on the attack specifics, he warned any Brits against being on the "wrong end of a missile".
He told Sky News: "If you are a British national in Iraq or Syria and chosen to fight for Daesh, an illegal organisation which is preparing and inspiring terror attacks on our streets, then you have made yourself a legitimate target.
"And you run the risk every hour of every day of being on the wrong end of an RAF missile."
Earlier today the Prime Minister's spokesman refused to make a direct comment on the specific reports, but added: “More broadly the UK advises against all travel to Syria.
"As all UK consular services are suspended in Syria it is extremely difficult to confirm the whereabouts and the status of British nationals there."
“Anyone who does travel to Syria for whatever reason is putting themselves in considerable danger - particularly if they are fighting for our enemies.”
Corbyn's words are at odds with Labour’s shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, who today agreed that "action does need to be taken" to tackle ISIS.
Asked if taking out Sally Jones was the right thing to do she said: "She posed a significant threat to our national security and the security forces need to deal with these cases very robustly."
Pressed if a drone strike was the right way to go about it she told Sky News: "We need to take significant action to stamp out ISIS."
The shadow minister added: “It’s a question for our security services to choose proportionate and measured strength in determining appropriate drone strikes and appropriate action to extinguish ISIS.
“But action does need to be taken.”