英语文摘:Obama "strongly condemns" murder of British hostage

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama strongly condemned the "brutal" murder of British hostage Alan Henning by the terrorist group Islamic State (IS), the White House said on Friday.

"Mr. Henning worked to help improve the lives of the Syrian people and his death is a great loss for them, for his family and the people of the United Kingdom," Obama said in a statement, adding that the United States would work to "bring the perpetrators of Alan's murder to justice."

"Standing together with a broad coalition of allies and partners, we will continue taking decisive action to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL," said the president, referring to the Islamic State militant group.

The Islamic State militant group on Friday claimed responsibility in an online video that showed the beheading of British aid worker Alan Henning, who was a taxi driver from Salford near Manchester and held since 2013 by the Islamic State militants. He was on an aid convoy for Syrian refugees when he was captured by the terrorists.

Lisa Monaco, Obama's counterterrorism adviser, said the United States has seen the latest video, and is evaluating it, adding that the murder is another clear example of why the Obama administration is moving to degrade and destroy the group.

The extremist militants have beheaded two U.S. journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and British aid worker David Haines, and showed the horrifying process to the world in similar videos on the Internet.