President Obama denounced the “viciousness and barbarity” of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria after the terrorist group released a video Tuesday purporting to show a Jordanian pilot being burned alive.
Obama on Tuesday said that if the video proved authentic, it would “redouble the vigilance and determination on the part of a global coalition to make sure [the Islamic State is] degraded and ultimately defeated.”
Obama was asked to weigh in on the video during an event at the White House meant to highlight Americans benefiting from the Affordable Care Act.
The White House said Obama was informed of the Islamic State video shortly before addressing reporters.
“Whatever ideology they’re operating off of, it’s bankrupt,” Obama said.
The 22-minute video was released Tuesday on social media and appears to show that First Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh was badly beaten before being burned alive.
The White House said it is still looking into the release of the video.
“We are aware of the video purporting to show that Jordanian 1st Lieutenant Moaz al-Kasasbeh has been murdered by the terrorist group ISIL,” said National Security spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan.
“The intelligence community is working to confirm its authenticity. The United States strongly condemns ISIL’s actions and we call for the immediate release of all those held captive by ISIL. We stand in solidarity with the government of Jordan and the Jordanian people.”
In recent days, the Islamic State released another video appearing to show the beheading of Kenji Goto, a Japanese journalist.
