British Prime Minister Warns of Al Qaeda Influence in Syria

Still says he supports the opposition

David Cameron has warned there was a "strategic" as well as "moral imperative" to act as the death toll in Syria mounts.

The prime minister told MPs: "Syria is attracting and empowering a new cohort of al-Qaeda-linked extremists".

He also saw a growing risk of "drawing regional powers into direct conflict".

The PM said European leaders had agreed, at their recent summit, on the need to review the arms embargo to help opponents to President Bashar al-Assad.