President condemns murder of U.S. citizen by terrorists, ambassadorial nomination, the week ahead

BUSH CONDEMNS MURDER OF U.S. CITIZEN IN SAUDI ARABIA

President Bush condemned the murder of kidnapped U.S. citizen Paul Johnson Jr. by terrorists in Saudi Arabia June 18.

"The murder of Paul shows the evil nature of the enemy we face. And it should remind us that we must pursue these people, and bring them to justice before they hurt other Americans," Bush said, "They're trying to intimidate America. They're trying to shake our will; they're trying to get us to retreat from the world."

According to news reports, an al Qaeda group beheaded Johnson, an aeronautical engineer working in Saudi Arabia for Lockheed Martin.

Shortly after Johnson's body was found outside Riyadh, Saudi security forces engaged and killed several al Qaeda militants in the capital, said Adel al-Jubeir, foreign affairs adviser to the Saudi crown prince at a press conference in Washington.

AMBASSADORIAL NOMINATION

President Bush intends to nominate John Ripin Miller, of Washington, as ambassador at large during his tenure of service as director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons at the Department of State. Miller has served in that position since 2002. He has also served as a member of House of Representatives.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Monday June 21: The president will participate in a conversation on compassion in Cincinnati, Ohio. He will then attend a Victory 2004 dinner.

Tuesday June 22: The president meet with the prime minister of Hungary and make remarks at the White House Black Music Month reception in the East Room.

Wednesday June 23: The president will make remarks on compassion and HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia, he'll attend a Victory 2004 reception in Villanova, and then he'll participate in a ceremony for the 2004 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Thursday June 24: No public events announced at this time.

Friday June 25: The president will depart for Shannon, Ireland, en route to the NATO Summit.

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