Each official terms perpetrators "evil," their action "barbaric"

President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell condemned the murder of U.S. citizen Paul Johnson by terrorists June 18 in Saudi Arabia.

Bush said that the murder shows "the evil nature of the enemy we face," but he declared the United States "will not be intimidated by these kinds of extremist thugs."

Powell stated that the "heinous crime will only strengthen our resolve to find terrorists and bring them to justice."

Following are the texts of the statements:

(begin text)

Office of the Press Secretary
(Seattle, Washington)
June 18, 2004

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT UPON DEPARTURE

Boeing Field/King County Airport Seattle, Washington

12:54 P.M. PDT

THE PRESIDENT: I want to express my deepest condolences to the family of Paul Johnson. We send our prayers and sympathies to them during this very troubling time.

The murder of Paul shows the evil nature of the enemy we face. These are barbaric people. There's no justification whatsoever for his murder, and yet they killed him in cold blood. And it should remind us that we must pursue these people, and bring them to justice before they hurt other Americans. See, they're trying to intimidate America. They're trying to shake our will; they're trying to get us to retreat from the world.

America will not retreat. America will not be intimidated by these kinds of extremist thugs.

May God bless Paul Johnson. Thank you.

(End text.)

(Begin text:)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
June 18, 2004

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN L. POWELL

Death of Mr. Paul Johnson, Jr.

I strongly condemn the barbaric murder of Mr. Paul M. Johnson, Jr. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his family. They have shown great courage throughout this ordeal, and my thoughts and prayers are with them.

This act of terror shows once again that we are confronting evil individuals who murder the innocent and defenseless in cold blood.

I have spoken with the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Saud Al Faysal. He expressed the condolences of the government and people of Saudi Arabia for the death of Paul Johnson. I thank the government of Saudi Arabia for its unceasing efforts on behalf of Mr. Johnson. Together, we are resolved to bring those responsible to justice.

This heinous act reinforces our shared determination to defeat terrorists. This heinous crime will only strengthen our resolve to find terrorists and bring them to justice.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)