The White House spokesperson during Monday's briefing also said the Obama administration condemns "in strongest terms" the kidnapping and calls for the immediate release of Warren Weinstein, a 70-year-old aid worker for US Agency for International Development (USAID), Xinhua reported Tuesday.

"The U.S. government will continue making every effort to see Mr. Weinstein released safely to his family, but we cannot and will not negotiate with Al-Qaeda," said spokesman Jay Carney.