British Foreign Minister says huge burden of responsibility for acts of terror lies with 'apologists'

British Foreign Minister Phillip Hammond has criticised advocacy organisation Cage for suggesting MI5 played a role in radicalising Mohammed Emwazi, ‘Jihadi John,’ and reiterated that terror apologists should take responsibility for their comments.

“We are absolutely clear; the responsibility for acts of terror rests with those who commit them. But a huge burden of responsibility also lies with those who act as apologists for them,” he said.

Hammond said that British citizens who went abroad to fight with ISIS could face prosecution on their return. Parents and schools had a responsibility to stop young people travelling abroad for this purpose.

Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute in London Hammond has said it is time to draw a line under the debate on powers of intelligence agencies. The range of threats to Britain is increasing which makes “their central task of keeping us safe ever more demanding.”

A Conservative government, said Hammond, would legislate for intelligence agencies to acquire new powers to deal with new communication technologies and “the pace of technological change.”