Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has announced Australian military forces will be sent to the Persian Gulf to assist in attacks on the Islamic State.

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has promised to send Australian military forces to the Persian Gulf to assist in attacks on the Islamic State.

He told media in a press conference in Darwin today that he had decided to prepare and deploy an armed force to the UAE to assist the United States in its military action against the Islamic State’s forces in Iraq and Syria.

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He warned “should this extend into combat operations, it could go on for some time”

Mr Abbott said his reaction to the latest video showing the execution of British aid worker David Haines was: “Shock, horror, outrage, fury. And a steely resolve to do anything we can ...”

"The United States strongly condemns the barbaric murder of UK citizen David Haines by the terrorist group ISIL." pic.twitter.com/iscj8GSB5h — The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 14, 2014

Mr Abbott said Australia had received a specific request from the US government to contribute forces to possible military action in Iraq.

Cabinet and the National Security Committee had met on Sunday to discuss the matter.

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“The government has decided to prepare and to deploy to the United Arab Emirates a military force,” Mr Abbott told reporters in Darwin.

Australia’s contribution would include 600 personnel and up to eight Super Hornet aircraft, an early warning and control aircraft, aerial refuelling aircraft and a contingent of Special Forces troops.

The prime minister emphasised that Australia was part of an international coalition and that there was no intention for Australian forces to be engaged in independent combat operations.

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He also said the deployment did not mean Australia was at war. “There are obviously further decisions to be taken before Australian forces will be committed to combat operations in Iraq,” he said.

He stressed that the deployment was “essentially a humanitarian operation to protect millions of people in Iraq”.

“Nevertheless Australia is prepared to engage in international operations to disrupt and degrade ISIL because of the threat that this murderous death cult poses not just to the people of Iraq, not just to the people of the Middle East, but to the whole world including to Australia.”

What it's like to fly an F/A-18F Super Hornet xd Ever wondered What it's like to fly an F/A-18F Super Hornet? Take a look here to find out. Courtesy US Navy

Mr Abbott said he was not aware of any Australians being held hostage by Islamic State terrorists.

“The evil and exaltation in evil that was yet again on display today, should make all of us more resolved than ever to do whatever we reasonably can to disrupt, degrade and if possible destroy this movement,” he said.

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He refused to the movement Islamic State, insisting it was neither Islamic nor a state.

“It is a death cult,” Mr Abbott said.

The prime minister said about 400 air personnel and about 200 military personnel would be involved in the deployment.

He said “air elements” would depart in the next week or so, while “military elements” could depart sooner.

“We think this is a balanced and proportionate contribution to what is our fight, but it is the world’s fight,” Mr Abbott said. “Australia has a long and proud tradition of doing what we can to help at home and abroad to make for a safer Australia and a safer world.”

He rejected suggestions growing involvement in Iraq would make Australia a target.

“These terrorists and would-be terrorists are not targeting us for what we have done or for what we might do, they are targeting us for who we are, they are targeting us for our freedom, our tolerance, for our compassion, for our decency,” he said.

Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, said disrupting and degrading Islamic State would take a “comprehensive and sustained effort”.

“But ... if we do nothing, the risk of allowing the shocking acts of ISIL to further destabilise the Middle East, and spread beyond the Middle East region, potentially back to Australia, is a greater risk,” he said.

STAY ALERT, NOT ALARMED

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has reassured Australians that everything possible is being done to protect them, a day after the terror alert was raised to high for the first time.

He said the decision to increase the alert level on Friday followed a spike in “chatter” detected in a sixfold increase in counter-terrorism operations during the past year.

Security will be beefed up at football finals and at so-called “soft targets” like shopping centres, but Mr Abbott stressed the terror alert upgrade does not mean an attack is imminent.

Senator Brandis said earlier today that the government was not asking people to avoid large crowds.

“In fact we’re saying the opposite,” he said.

“We’re saying that you should go to the footy finals, you should go about your ordinary life in the same way you always have, reassured that the government is aware of the threat, aware of the risk and has taken appropriate steps.”

Security and intelligence agencies are concerned about the increasing number of Australians who are fighting with terrorist groups such as Islamic State, Jabhat al-Nusra and al-Qaeda in Syria and Iraq.

The government knew the identity of some but not all of the 60-odd Australians fighting in the Middle East, the attorney-general said.

However, it would ensure none returned to Australia undetected. “Any foreign fighter who returns and has committed a crime by participating in the civil war in Syria and northern Iraq will be prosecuted,” he said

“People should go about their lives normally, reassured that strong arrangements are in place to detect, to prevent and to respond to terrorism,” Mr Abbott said in a statement.

“The government is ... taking considered action so that you can continue to lead your lives confident that everything, everything possible is being done to protect you.”