Terrorism

Islamic extremist groups fighting alongside Syrian rebels are rapidly gaining legitimacy in the effort to oust president Bashar Assad, positioning themsevles to fill the looming power vaccum should the embattled leader fall, a top Senate Republican said Tuesday. 

The White House should hand control over the vast majority of armed drone operations to the Pentagon and limit the U.S. intelligence community's role in coordinating and executing those airstrikes, former Director of National Intelligence Adm. Dennis Blair said on Tuesday. 

The attack shows al Qaeda is "committed to creating terror" no matter where they are located, he said.

For months, congressional Republicans have been champing at the bit to press top administration officials on how they handled the aftermath of last September's terrorist assault on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. 

Algeria's prime minister said 37 foreigners were killed during a battle with terrorists who seized a natural-gas plant.

In a statement, the president expressed sympathy for the families of those who were killed or injured. 

Republicans accuse President Obama of failing to prevent a resurgence of al-Qaeda offshoots in northern Africa.

U.S. officials said Frederick Buttaccio, a Texan, was killed in the three-day hostage crisis in Algeria.

“The United States does not negotiate with terrorists,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said twice at her daily press briefing. 

The Defense secretary said the U.S. is working “around the clock” to ensure the safe return of hostages in Algeria.