British Prime Minister David Cameron has arrived back in Downing Street to lead the emergency response to the “shocking and depraved” murder of an American journalist by a jihadist with an English accent.
Cameron will be briefed by senior intelligence officials and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond as investigations are carried out following the release of horrific video footage that appears to show James Foley being beheaded by an Islamic State (IS) extremist.
British intelligence services are trying to piece together evidence to identify the killer.
Cameron, who was on holiday in Cornwall with his family, did not respond to waiting journalists, heading instead straight into No 10 gripping his official red box.
Earlier, he said: “If true, the murder of James Foley is shocking and depraved. I will today chair meetings on the situation in Iraq/Syria.”