WASHINGTON -- US President Barack Obama on Wednesday denounced a deadly attack on the US consulate in Libya 's eastern city of Benghazi, vowing to bring the killers of four U. S. diplomats to jtice.
"The United States condemns in the strongest terms this outrageo and shocking attack," the president said in a statement delivered at the White Hoe Rose Garden, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at his side.
"And make no mistake, we will work with the Libyan government to bring to jtice the killers who attacked our people," he added.
US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens died with three other diplomats on Tuesday night after hundreds of protesters, angered by an alleged US-made movie that they say insults Prophet Mohammed, broke into and set ablaze the US consulate building.
Stevens, who was on a short trip to Benghazi and reportedly died from suffocation as a result of smoke inhalation, became the first US ambassador to be killed in an attack since 1979. The attack occurred the same day when the Americans were marking the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
"We reject all efforts to denigrate the religio beliefs of others," Obama said. "But there is absolutely no jtification for this type of senseless violence. None. The world mt stand together to unequivocally reject these brutal acts."
"We will not waver in our commitment to see that jtice is done for this terrible act. And make no mistake, jtice will be done," he stressed.
"I've also directed my administration to increase our security at diplomatic posts around the world," the president noted. A US Marine anti-terrorism team was reportedly being deployed to Libya to beef up security there.
Obama also stated that the Tuesday attack "will not break the bonds" between the United States and Libya.
In a separate statement made at the State Department, Clinton said that US-Libya friendship will not be "another casualty of this attack," describing the incident as an act by "a small and savage group, not the people or government of Libya."
"A free and stable Libya is still in America's interests and security, and we will not turn our backs on that," she added.
Stating that "it is especially difficult that this happened on Sept. 11," the top US diplomat asserted: "As long as there are those who would take innocent life in the name of God, the world will never know a true and lasting peace."