Britain to continue supporting US on Syria

Britain's intelligence agency supports, based in the Mediterranean, would play a key role in providing crucial military information and intelligence to the US in its attack against Syria, a media report said.

Britain's decision not to take part in the US-led military intervention in Syria was only limited to the country's armed forces and the sharing of intelligence would continue, the Telegraph reported Saturday.

Britain's powerful intelligence facilities in Cyprus, located around 160 km from the Syrian coast, are expected to play a key role for US military action, the daily said.

"We always support our allies and the Commons' vote was about military action, not about intelligence," the Telegraph quoted a source in the British Government Communication Headquarters as saying.

Britain has deployed six Royal Air Force Typhoons in Cyprus in a bid to protect its strategically important bases against a possible retaliation from the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, it added.

Britain's House of Commons voted to reject a government motion on military action against Syria after an eight-hour intense debate.

The parliamentary motion, calling for "a strong humanitarian response from international society" that includes military action, was defeated by 272 votes to 285.

Meanwhile, in a surprising turn of events, US President Barack Obama Saturday said US "should take military action against Syrian targets" but before acting, he would seek Congressional approval when it returns from recess.

The US "should take military action against Syrian targets" for its alleged use of chemical weapons in an Aug 21 attack on areas controlled by the opposition, Obama said.