Office of the Australian Prime Minister Addresses David Kilcullen's Statements on the Islamic State

Press Question: David Kilcullen, who is one of Australia's foremost authorities on counter-insurgency has written this week that one of the mistakes the West is making, about Islamic State is, that for all intents and purposes it is operating like a State. Does this cause you to rethink your attitude to Islamic State?

PM Abbott: I don't believe any legitimate State is involved in crucifixions, beheadings, mass executions, sexual slavery. I don't believe that any legitimate State is out there in the business of killing everyone who does not subscribe to a particularly extreme version of religion. I just don't believe that for a second and that's why I think we should never use that term.