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Politics: White House

US wants to know how Algerian attack unfolded

January 20, 2013 | Modified: January 20, 2013 at 12:17 pm
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Photo - In this undated image made from video, a man looks out from a bus towards what appears to be smoke rising in the horizon at an unknown location in Algeria. An Algerian security official says de-mining squads searching for explosives found "numerous" bodies Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013 at a gas refinery where Islamic militants took dozens of foreign workers hostage. (AP Photo/Ennahar TV) ALGERIA OUT, TV OUT
In this undated image made from video, a man looks out from a bus towards what appears to be smoke rising in the horizon at an unknown location in Algeria. An Algerian security official says de-mining squads searching for explosives found "numerous" bodies Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013 at a gas refinery where Islamic militants took dozens of foreign workers hostage. (AP Photo/Ennahar TV) ALGERIA OUT, TV OUT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says it will work with the Algerian government to understand how events unfolded in the terrorist attack on a natural gas complex in the Sahara desert.

Islamist militants took dozens of foreign workers hostage in a siege that ended Saturday when Algerian forces stormed the facility. The Algerian government says all 32 militants were killed, and that the number of hostages killed stands at 23. One American is known dead.

An adviser to President Barack Obama says the attack is a reminder of the threat from terrorists who "will use civilians to try and advance their twisted and sick agenda."

Obama aide David Plouffe (pluhf) says U.S. officials will be in touch with the Algerian government to get a "full understanding" of what happened.

Plouffe spoke on CBS' "Face the Nation" and "Fox News Sunday."

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