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Cameron and Europe: PM postpones key speech on EU strategy Algeria crisis: PM postpones Europe speech and warns of 'bad news'
(35 minutes later)
David Cameron has postponed a long-awaited speech on the UK's relationship with Europe due to the ongoing hostage crisis at a gas facility in Algeria. David Cameron has postponed a long-awaited speech on Europe due to the hostage crisis in Algeria, saying the country should prepare "for bad news".
Mr Cameron said the UK should prepare "for the possibility of bad news" after Britons were among foreign nationals taken hostage at the plant. Britons were among a group of foreign nationals taken hostage at a gas plant near In Amenas. One is confirmed dead, the fate of other hostages is unclear.
The prime minister was to set out his vision for the UK's future role in the EU, and the prospect of a referendum. Four foreigners were freed but people died in an Algerian military operation, the state news agency reported.
An Algerian military operation is ongoing. The situation remains unclear. The PM was to set out his vision for the UK's future role in the EU.
Mr Cameron said we faced "a very bad situation". The Conservative leader had been due to give a speech in the Netherlands and was under pressure from many of his MPs to give a binding commitment to a refendum on Europe.
Algerian forces have moved against Islamic militants holding hostages at a gas facility in eastern Algeria, the state news agency reports. A Briton and Algerian died on Wednesday after kidnappers entered the plant.
Reports quoting militants said at least 34 hostages and 14 kidnappers died. Mr Cameron said the country faced "a very bad situation".
The Conservative leader had been due to give a speech in the Netherlands and was under pressure from many of his MPs to give a binding commitment to a vote on Europe. "A number of British citizens have been taken hostage. Already we know of one who has died.
"The Algerian armed forces have now attacked this compound. It is a very dangerous, a very uncertain, a very fluid situation and I think we have to prepare ourselves for the possibility of bad news ahead," he said.
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague is to cut short a visit to Australia due to the hostage crisis, while ministers are planning to make a statement to Parliament on Friday morning to update MPs.
The BBC's deputy political editor, James Landale, said: "Officials say that the information coming out of Algeria remains incomplete.
"They say that the PM made the decision to postpone his speech in the Netherlands at tea time after a meeting of the emergency response committee Cobra and a phone call with the Algerian prime minister," our correspondent added.
Downing Street earlier said the prime minister had spoken to President Obama and they had agreed their priority was to establish the facts on the ground.
NI man freed
Algerian soldiers had been surrounding the facility near In Amenas that kidnappers occupied on Wednesday.
The Algerian communications minister said the operation "was successful in neutralising a large number of terrorists and freeing a large number of hostages".
"But unfortunately and we are sorry to say there were some deaths and injuries. We do not yet have a definitive figure."
Militants had said they were holding 41 foreign nationals.
The gas facility's part operator, BP, said earlier there were unconfirmed reports of casualties and of hostages being released or escaping.
No 10 said Mr Cameron was not informed of the operation in advance and only learned of it when he phoned his Algerian counterpart at 11:00 GMT.
Earlier, the family of a Northern Irish hostage said he had been freed and was safe.
Stephen McFaul, 36, who was travelling on an Irish passport, was being held along with other foreign nationals.
His 13-year-old son, Dylan, has said he cannot wait to give his father "a big hug".
Another hostage is also reportedly from Northern Ireland. The MP, Ian Paisley jnr, says he was called to the Foreign Office for a briefing about a constituent, a man from north Antrim who was travelling on a British passport.
Meanwhile, the Algerian state media says that some hostages have escaped or been liberated, including two from Scotland, one from France and one from Kenya.
Algerian Interior Minister Daho Ould Kablia said the kidnappers were Algerian and operating under orders from Mokhtar Belmokhtar, a senior commander of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) until late last year.