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Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron (file photo) Lefteris Pitarakis/AP/Press Association Images

Cameron warns of ‘bad news ahead’ as he cancels EU speech over Algeria crisis

The cancellation comes as the hostage crisis in Algeria continues.

PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON has postponed a major EU speech planned for tomorrow because of the Algerian hostage crisis and that warned Britain should brace itself for “the possibility of bad news ahead”.

Cameron was due to travel to the Netherlands to deliver a long-awaited speech on Britain’s relationship with the European Union, but his office confirmed he would now be staying in London to deal with the Algerian crisis.

In a sombre televised statement, Cameron indicated that several Britons could have been killed in the Algerian army offensive to free hostages from Islamist kidnappers at the BP-operated In Amenas gas plant.

“We face a very bad situation at this BP gas compound in Algeria. A number of British citizens have been taken hostage,” the prime minister said.

“Already we know of one who has died. The Algerian armed forces have now attacked this compound.

“It is a very dangerous, very uncertain, a very fluid situation and I think we have to prepare ourselves for the possibility of bad news ahead.”

Cameron has chaired two meetings of the government’s emergency committee, Cobra, and said officials were in touch with families as they sought to “build the fullest possible picture of the information and intelligence that we have”.

Speaking shortly afterwards, junior foreign minister Alistair Burt also issued a warning of more bad news to come.

‘Bad and distressing news’

“Although details have yet to become final, I’m afraid we should be under no illusion that there will be some bad and distressing news to follow from this terrorist attack,” Burt told the BBC.

He said that ministers had been in touch with their international partners, officials had been liaising with BP, and Britain was “pressing” the Algerian authorities to have access to Britons caught up in the attack.

A British man was killed when Islamist gunmen stormed the gas plant on Wednesday and several Britons are believed to be hostages along with dozens of other foreigners.

Pressure had been building for months over Cameron’s European speech, billed as one of the most important by a British leader in a generation.

He was expected to set out plans to renegotiate Britain’s conditions of membership of the EU and then allow voters to decide on the new terms in a referendum after elections in 2015.

A Downing Street spokesman told AFP: “I can confirm that the prime minister has postponed his speech tomorrow because of the Algerian crisis.”

A new date and venue would be announced “in due course”.

- © AFP, 2013

Read: Irish hostage released in Algeria amid conflicting reports of casualties >

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    Mute Patric Juillet
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    Jan 17th 2013, 8:53 PM

    I have read some tweets which indicated that several hostages had been killed in the rescue operation. Let’s hope it’s minimal.

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    Mute Les Rock
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    Jan 17th 2013, 9:03 PM

    I think i heard 34hostages and 14 captors Patric. I heard there was an air raid first (don’t ask me why)

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    Mute john stone
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    Jan 17th 2013, 9:28 PM

    Cancelling the EU speech is just what he wanted !!

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    Mute Eddie Munster
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    Jan 17th 2013, 9:39 PM

    He’s a lying Rat

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    Mute Eddie Munster
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    Jan 17th 2013, 10:28 PM

    Ok he’s not a lying rat

    15
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    Mute John Duggan
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    Jan 17th 2013, 8:55 PM

    Certainly shouldn’t have let the Algerian army deal with it. The Irish special forces would have had them home by tea.

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    Mute Na Fulacht Fia Moore
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    Jan 17th 2013, 9:04 PM

    ++++++ go na Bruagha Na Fianna ?++

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    Mute Barry Basstard
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    Jan 17th 2013, 10:55 PM

    Anyone else think that the Irish hostage that was released was because of his passport? A bit strange that all those British and japs were murdered and our chap was let go, I guess they see the British and other nations as imperialists but maybe in their limited and misguided ways they believe the Irish are freedom fighters much like the way they like themselves to be seen.

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    Mute Phil
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    Jan 17th 2013, 11:35 PM

    Great that the let him go but were far from freedom fighters now. Your right when you state “misguided”

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    Mute Sean Mac Gabhann
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    Jan 17th 2013, 11:39 PM

    Amen.

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    Mute mattoid
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    Jan 18th 2013, 2:34 AM

    Its being reported that he was forced to wear explosives round his neck but managed to escape when the bus he was being transported in crashed, so I don’t think the colour of his passport made the slightest bit of difference to how he was treated.
    He was just one of the lucky ones I guess.

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    Mute Gerard
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    Jan 17th 2013, 8:50 PM

    If ever there’s a nob head it’s him what a boring man somehow he always makes me yawn thank god his notting to do with us England’s fool :)

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    Mute Daniel Wilson
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    Jan 17th 2013, 9:25 PM

    You raise some very enlightening points, I shall certainly reflect on them tonight

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    Mute Patrick Lyons
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    Jan 17th 2013, 9:32 PM

    What language is that supposed to be? Do your parents know that you have been playing with the pc?

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    Mute Gerard
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    Jan 17th 2013, 10:21 PM

    Patrick the Brit full of shit

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    Mute the lost lenore
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    Jan 17th 2013, 11:26 PM

    Your ideas are intriguing and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

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    Mute Phil
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    Jan 17th 2013, 11:37 PM

    Jolly good conversation old chums!

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    Mute John Appleby
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    Jan 17th 2013, 10:36 PM

    He is a lying rat – a war criminal.

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    Mute Phil
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    Jan 17th 2013, 11:35 PM

    True

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    Mute Na Fulacht Fia Moore
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    Jan 17th 2013, 9:02 PM

    Ag cúl ar ceann dul go bhuil ar tusach ?

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    Mute Treacy O'Connor
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    Jan 18th 2013, 1:28 AM

    All war will end when governments start acting in the best interests of the people and humanity instead of the oil companies. Governments have become their security guards. How dare he warn of bad news when he’s planning to have the bad news carried out and doing nothing to find peaceful and collaborative solutions

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Jan 18th 2013, 3:26 AM

    Oh come on treacy! Tell that to the people who took these people hostage! A totally unprovoked attack.

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    Mute Peter Noack
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    Jan 18th 2013, 5:30 PM

    Let the English People decide what the want David. They don’t want to be part of the EU.
    It’s that simple. If you truly do believe in Democracy then give the people their right to decide.
    You might not agree with their decision but as their representative you must honor it.

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