03/09/2014 BBC News at Six

Britain will not be cowed, says the Prime Minister,

after Islamic State extremists threaten to kill a British hostage.

David Cameron says Britain won't pay ransoms to the terrorists

and won't be intimidated. If they think we will weaken

in the face of their threats, they are wrong.

It will have the opposite effect. Unravelling the web -

the investigators trying to track down the Islamic State fighters

responsible for the atrocities. We have a special report.

Also tonight, the parents of five-year-old Ashya King are

reunited with their son in Spain after being released from prison.

All I was doing the whole time was just crying.

Crying and praying so I could be reunited with him again.

President Obama calls for NATO to send an unmistakeable message

of support to Ukraine in the face of "brazen Russian aggression".

Given the all-clear - the British ebola survivor William

Pooley leaves hospital in London. On BBC London, warnings

the capital is facing a critical shortage of trainee teachers

for classrooms of the future. And Basildon Hospital technicians

jailed for conning the NHS out of ?400,000.

Good evening and welcome to the BBC News at Six.

The Government says it's examining every possible option to protect

a British man who's been threatened with death by Islamic State

fighters. Last night, the militants released

a video appearing to show the beheading of a second American

journalist, Steven Sotloff. In it, they claimed a British

hostage would be next. Speaking in the Commons,

the Prime Minister insisted that Britain would "never give in"

to the Islamist militants. But tonight,

David Cameron is under pressure from some MPs to toughen his response to

the threat from Islamic State. Here's our deputy political

editor James Landale. Steven Sotloff, freelance

journalist, American citizen and now the second hostage to be murdered by

Islamic State, joining his countryman James Foley as the latest

westerner apparently beheaded by the extremists. The fear now is that the

next propaganda video to emerge from the battlefields of Syria will show

the face of a British hostage, a 44-year-old man with family in

Scotland who was kidnapped in last March. That is the reality David

Cameron is now facing. A country like ours will not be powered by

these barbaric killers. His aim was clear. This so-called Islamic

caliphate is unacceptable and needs to be squeezed out of existence.

Labour agreed. I agree with the Prime Minister, events like this

must strengthen, not weaken our resolve and he can be assured of our

full support. What potentially could be the Prime Minister do to protect

the British hostage? He could attempt a rescue mission but the US

tried this and failed. He could step up diplomatic pressure on regional

powers to do more to combat Islamic State, but that might not come in

time. Or air strikes against Islamic State. This option is not all out.

Ministers say they won't allow terrorism to dictate strategy. But

demands for a tougher response are growing, not just on the

Conservative benches. IS will not be beaten without air strikes in Syria

as well. That means engaging with the acid regime in Iran and the

Saudis, however unpalatable. We should use air strikes to diminish

their military capability so that the countries who are our allies can

be with them more effectively on their own. Ministers accept that at

some stage they may have to consider air strikes, but only as part of a

long-term plan to deal with Islamic State, not in a short-term response

to the threat of another hostage killing. As ever, any decision by

Britain to join in air strikes like these would have to be signed off by

the Americans, who for now appear to some as pretty cautious. It is very

important from my perspective that when we send our pilots in, to do a

job... We know this is a mission that is going to work, that we are

clear and our objectives, our targets, we have made the case to

Congress and the American people... Tonight, David Cameron arrived in

Wales ahead of the NATO summit where he will discuss the crisis with

fellow leaders. Their opposition to Islamic State is clear. What he and

they might do about it is less so. editor James Landale.

As the Government brings in new measures to stop more

Britons travelling abroad to fight with groups in Syria and Iraq,

the parents of a 20-year-old woman from Glasgow have spoken of their

feelings of betrayal after she travelled to Syria last year.

Aqsa's parents, Khalida and Muzaffar Mahmood, say they were horrified

Her family hoped she would become a doctor and save lives. Instead she

is in Syria, radicalised and married to an Islamic State fighter. Her

parents say they feel betrayed. A solicitor spoke on their behalf.

Aqsa was always a sweet and inquisitive child. All parents want

to be proud of their child but sadly we feel nothing but sorrow and shame

for Aqsa. Comments on social media which seemed to be from the

20-year-old appeared to promote terrorism. One says, follow the

examples of your brothers from Woolwich, Texas and Boston. Another

says, if you cannot make it to the battlefield, then bring the

battlefields do yourself. Aqsa appears to have at a normal at

bringing in Glasgow. She went to private school and university. -- a

normal upbringing. Her parents say she became a bedroom radical and

they warned that if it can happen to them, it can happen to anyone. They

cannot and -- understand what happened. There is no smoking gun,

no family member that can be blamed for her radicalisation. We have

spent months asking ourselves whether we could have done better

and we still do not know the answer. Their message to their daughter,

they still love her and want her to come home.

Mahmood, say they were horrified Well, the BBC has learnt that a team

of international investigators, paid for by the British Government,

are trying to compile evidence against Islamic State fighters who

are carrying out these atrocities - evidence which could eventually be

used to prosecute them for crimes against humanity.

But how likely is it that they will be brought to justice?

Frank Gardner reports. As the list grows longer

of apparent atrocities by Islamic State fighters, will anyone

ever be held to account? We have learned that, throughout

this year, a team of international investigators with extensive

experience in war crimes, funded by the British Government, has been

compiling evidence for prosecution. The BBC has been given the first

exclusive access to their work. For their own safety, they have

asked to remain anonymous. But who exactly are

they going after? We are after the highest level

members of the IS, because these individuals are just as responsible

for the countless murders as those men who kill with their own hands.

Indeed those leaders are more responsible.

On the ground in Syria, and in the neighbouring countries,

the investigators say they have numerous sources feeding them back

information and original documents, building up an intricate picture

of the workings of Islamic State. Some sources are even

inside its ranks, operating at huge personal risk.

Very rarely do we get documentation such as this,

the actual minutes of an Islamic State provincial level meeting.

This kind of thing is golddust to us, because

it shows there is a clear chain of command that controls everything

that happens in that region. This is the command structure

of Islamic State as compiled by the investigators.

At the top, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-appointed caliph.

Directly below him, four councils, most importantly Military

and Security. This one-plus-four structure is

then duplicated throughout the provinces where IS has a presence.

Now the team is starting to put senior names to posts,

joining up a web of the wanted. They conclude that the Islamic State

is far more organised than previously thought.

What we are witnessing is the process of nation-building, which

includes the provision of services, looking after the population.

There is a military element, of course, but the Islamic State is

just what it says it is. So where do British jihadis fit

into this picture? Once across the border into Syria,

they get assigned specific roles in IS.

So far none appear to have reached the upper ranks.

By and large, the Westerners are given menial low-level tasks

by the commanders because they tend to arrive with no discernible

battlefield skills so it assumed they are better off providing

support services to the group, as they are unlikely to have

the skills, religious and military, that IS is looking for.

Inside these boxes down in the basement of the investigation

team's headquarters is the hard evidence which they say points to

the leaders of Islamic State deemed culpable for some of the atrocities

carried out in Syria. They believe it will be ready to

take to prosecution by the end of this year.

But arresting well protected Islamic State leaders in the ongoing

conflict will be almost impossible, and there's another problem.

Even when the prosecution files are complete, there is no court

yet ready to try them. David Cameron has just arrived

in Newport ahead of tomorrow's NATO summit.

Our political editor Nick Robinson is there.

What are the chances of Britain being drawn back into another war?

What we are not going to see is an immediate military response to the

plight of this British hostage, in part because ministers have known

about it for a long time. In truth, the media have known about it for a

long time and agreed to keep it secret in the hope of helping to

preserve his life. What we are also not going to see is any repeat of

the Iraq war of just over a decade ago, when Bush and Blair launched

the invasion of Iraq. But what we are beginning to see is a sort of

repeat of the coalition building that was tried by George Bush senior

in 1990, a big array of countries that got together in order to deal

with Sadam Hussein's invasion of. Kuwait Today David Cameron insisted

that any intervention would not be western. They want it to be

requested by the government, supported by Arab countries,

particularly those in the Gulf. Ministers tell me they think there

is both a legal and moral case for military action in Iraq. They have

not made a decision yet but what will sway them perhaps is the

atmosphere in the House of Commons today. Little criticism of that, a

few warnings, most people were urging them on. Intriguingly, Labour

leader Ed Miliband, although he is of course keeping his options open,

was very warm in his support of the Prime Minister and his assistants --

insistence that everything that needs to be done should be done to

confront Islamic State forces. Thank you.

is there. The parents of Ashya King have been

reunited with their five-year-old son at the hospital in Spain where

he is being cared for. Ashya,

who's seriously ill with a brain tumour, was taken against medical

advice from Southampton Hospital by Brett and Naghemeh King last week.

They were freed from custody last night after

the British authorities abandoned their attempts to extradite them.

Jon Kay has been speaking to them today.

He's in Malaga now. Right now, on the fourth floor, the

cancer ward of the Children's Hospital, the Kings are reunited

with their little boy. They got here a few hours ago. They seemed

exhausted talking to me today, overwhelmed, baffled by what has

happened in the last few days, but most of all so relieved to be back

here with him. This was no ordinary hospital visit. The story of the

King family has been followed all over the world. But now, released

from prison, Brett and Naghemeh King could finally see their son, waiting

for them upstairs, five-year-old Ashya, seriously ill with brain

cancer. In an exclusive BBC interview after their release from

prison last night, Ashya's parents told me they were desperate to get

to the hospital. I just want to wet his mouth because he cannot drink

through his mouth, brushes teeth, turn him from side to side every 15

minutes because he can't move. I just want to do all of those things

for him that I was doing in Southampton. As a mother, can you

explain what it has been like for the last few days, being separated

from your sick little boy? All the time I was crying, crying and

praying so I could be reunited with him again. Their decision to take

their little boy from Southampton General Hospital against medical

advice and seek alternative treatment abroad led to Ashya's

parents being the subject of a European arrest

parents being the subject of a European warrant. But last night

they were freed from prison, the case against them dropped in the UK

after a review of the evidence. The couple had spent three days and

nights in custody. How angry are you about all this? I wouldn't say

angry, I am just missing my son so much. My heart is aching for my son.

Anger cannot come in at the moment because I have these feelings that I

have got to see my son's face. Southampton general claimed today

that doctors had been trying to support the family while they

arranged for treatment for Ashya and they were very concerned when his

parents suddenly took him from the hospital, and that is why they

alerted the police. I can understand that they were upset, yes, but I

don't think it is ever in a child's best interest to be taken from a

place of safety when the risks of being taken were known, without

anyone within the medical profession knowing that they were leaving. I

told them over and over again... They say they told the doctors they

were planning to go to Prague, but they admit they did not tell the

doctors they are going to Spain that day. There are many questions about

what has happened to this little boy in the last week, but right now his

parents only concern is spending time with him once again. He might

have to have some chemotherapy, either here or in the UK, before he

can be moved. But his mother says she will not be leaving his side.

Jon, thank you. The time is just after a quarter past six.

Our top story this evening: Britain will not be cowed,

says the Prime Minister, after Islamic State extremists

threaten to kill a British hostage. And still to come:

Out of hospital - the British nurse who survived Ebola tells his tale.

I was worried that I was going to die. I was worried about my family,

and I was scared. who survived Ebola tells his tale.

Later on BBC London: En route to two dedicated cycleways

in London - we take a test ride around the capital.

And reeling in the big stars - our guide to what's on offer at

this year's London's film festival. In just over two weeks' time, we'll

know whether Scotland is going to break away from the United Kingdom

and become an independent country. As the campaign nears its climax,

there's some concern that the passionate arguments

on both sides should not boil over into aggressive behaviour.

The moderator of the Church of Scotland has urged both sides

in the referendum debate to treat each other with respect.

From Glasgow, Allan Little reports. It is lovely to be back! Last week,

he was pelted with eggs. This week, news back on tour. Jim Murphy is one

of the most effective campaigners for the union. Anah stay has the

campaign become? It is a great debate. It is passionate, involving

more people than ever before. There was a hen do debating the merits of

a currency union! But behaviour like this has tarnished the yes campaign.

It is surely counter-productive, alienating far more people from the

independence cause that could possibly persuade. People are

engaged, empowered, excited, in a way that I have never known, on both

sides. There will always be a minority who want to spoil that. We

should all condemn what they do, but we shouldn't allow them to poison

what is otherwise a fantastic debate. Everybody knows that have

been deplorable acts of aggression and intimidation on both sides, and

especially online. But how characteristic of the campaign have

they been? Independence is a question that has divided lifelong

friends from each other, divided families, even divided husbands from

wives. In my experience, and national conversation is taking

place that has been conducted with quiet, concerned civility and mutual

respect. Especially given what is at stake. The better we behave towards

one another now, the more chance we have got on September the 19th to be

able to put the result aside, to be magnanimous in victory and gracious

in defeat, and to move on and work together.

The two sides came together today for a charity football match. This

is the spirit Scotland will need actively to seek after the

referendum. For whoever wins, both sides will have to wreck --

reconcile themselves to the results. And for more

on the independence debate, including detailed analysis of the

issues, you can go to our website special at bbc.co.uk/Scotland

Decides. The mayor of Calais has threatened

to block the French port unless Britain does more to control

the number of illegal migrants. Natacha Bouchart claimed

the northern city was being taken hostage by

around 1,200 migrants attempting to travel to the UK from France.

In the past there have been violent clashes between migrants

and illegal camps round the city. There are hopes tonight

of a peace deal between pro-Russian rebels and government forces

in Eastern Ukraine. President Obama is urging members

of the NATO alliance to send an unmistakable message backing

Ukraine in the face of what he called brazen aggression by Russia.

It came as Barack Obama flew to Eastern Europe to reassure NATO

members that the US would defend them in the event of Russian

military action on their soil. Our Europe editor Gavin Hewitt sent

this report from the Estonian capital.

President Obama being greeted in Estonia just over 100 miles from the

Russian border. Hanging over his visit, the fighting in Ukraine, with

the president following closely conflicting reports of a cease-fire

plan. But the American president was on a mission to reassure the Baltic

states, increasingly wary of Russia and its actions in Ukraine. Estonia

is a former Soviet republic. 25% of the people here are ethnic Russians,

and President Putin has his admirers here.

TRANSLATION: He is very clever. In Russia, we haven't had this kind of

leader for a long time. I like him as a person and his politics. He is

a very honourable person and a smart politician.

President Obama told the people of the Baltics and more American forces

were on the ground carrying out training and more NATO aircraft in

the skies. So in practical terms, NATO is proposing setting up a rapid

reaction force, which could come to places like Estonia within 48 hours,

equipment having been pre-positioned here. In a major speech, President

Obama gave the States this guarantee: If in such a moment you

ever ask again, who will come to help, you will know the answer. The

NATO alliance, including the Armed Forces of the United States of

America right here, present, now. Then the president turned to

Russia's actions in the Ukraine. It is a brazen assault on the

territorial integrity of Ukraine. It challenges that most basic of

principles of our international system, but Borders cannot be read

raw at the barrel of a gun. Overnight in Ukraine, there was

further shelling around the town of Donetsk. But there were reports that

the Ukrainian president and President Putin had agreed on a plan

that might agree to a cease-fire, with the possibility of the two

sides launching a peace process later this week. Gavin Hewitt, BBC

News. Our correspondent Steve

Rosenberg is in Moscow. Hopes of a peace deal tonight, but

what chance of it happening? According to the plan, Ukrainian

forces and Moscow militants would halt all military operations, there

would be a prisoner swap. Reaction to that plan in Kiev has been mixed.

President Park -- Petro Poroshenko has been quite positive, but others

have denounced it. But tonight, the feeling here is that Vladimir Putin

is very much in the driving seat in any negotiation, because despite the

strong language we heard from President Obama in Gavin's piece,

despite a scathing attack on Russian aggression, America does not want to

go to war with Russia over Ukraine. Neither does the European Union or

NATO. And President Putin knows that.

Thank you. William Pooley,

the British nurse who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone,

has left hospital in London this morning saying he feels "wonderfully

lucky" to have survived. Mr Pooley, who's 29,

was flown back to the UK last month for treatment in a special isolation

unit at the Royal Free Hospital. He thanked staff for

the world-class care he received. Here's our health correspondent

Branwen Jeffreys. Just ten days ago, will truly was

airlifted out of Sierra Leone. -- William Pooley. He was rushed to a

special unit in London. Today, after a remarkable recovery, he described

the moment he knew he had Ebola. I was worried I was going to die. I

was worried about my family. And I was scared. Many hospitals in west

Africa are basic and overstretched. Half of nurses or doctors infected

with a bowler there are dying. -- infected with Ebola. In the face of

possible death, they are working all day, every day, helping sick people.

It is amazing. His treatment in London couldn't be more different.

Nursed in a sealed tent, given the experimental drug ZMapp, tests now

show he is completely clear of the virus. We know that people who have

recovered from the virus are not infectious to other people. We even

measure the virus in the blood until it has gone away completely. William

Pooley has a complete physical recovery thanks to the world-class

care he has had here. But to get over the trauma of what he saw in

West Africa, and of being infected himself with the Ebola virus, could

take him much longer. His parents, Jackie and Robin, have been at the

hospital every day, hoping just taken home. They incinerated my

passport, so my mum will be pleased to know that I can't go anywhere.

This evening, Jenny's and at the family home in Suffolk. Will says he

is more committed to nursing than ever, but first he needs to west.

Today was not such a bad day, temperatures in the 20s. In terms of

the weather, dry and clear this evening. We have a dig area of high

pressure, all the way from Moscow towards Cork here. The weather is

not going to be doing an awful lot through the course of the night.

Some cloud floating across eastern areas. In towns and cities, a little

colder than those temperatures. Tomorrow, the afternoon will be

brighter than the morning. It will take time for the cloud to break,

but there will be sunshine around. There might be a little more thicker

cloud and possibly a few spots of rain in the very far north-west of

the country. Through the course of Friday, we have a weak weather front

across the north of the UK. There could be more persistent rain across

Aberdeenshire. To the south of that, fine unsettled weather. For England

and Wales, not much change. The weather front in the North will

slowly sink southwards, bringing a little more cloud across Yorkshire.

On Sunday, the further north you are, the fresher it will be, with

temperatures hovering around 15 or 16 Celsius. But again in the south,

not much change on the weather front. So at the moment, the weather

is pretty steady. A reminder of our main story.

Britain will not be cowed, says the Prime Minister. That is all from the

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