Obama: Islam stands against violence, so ‘no excuse’ for attacks

US President Barack Obama used his weekly White House address today in continued efforts to distance the Washington from the anti-Islam film that has sparked mounting anti-American sentiment around the globe. 

The US leader condemned the Tuesday attack against the US embassy in Libya that killed the US ambassador and three others, vowing that "those who attack our people will find no escape from justice."

"We will not waver in their pursuit. And we will never allow anyone to shake the resolve of the United States of America," he said.

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Describing religious freedom as a fundamental American value, Obama said "all faiths" condemn the taking of innocent life and while the US is quick to "reject the denigration of any religion, including Islam," he said "there is never any justification for violence."

The remarks echoed those of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who on Friday referred to the California-made footage that first prompted protests in Libya on Tuesday as an the "awful internet video that we [in the US governmet] had nothing to do with," according to CNN. 

“Let us never forget that for every angry mob, there are millions who yearn for the freedom, and dignity, and hope that our flag represents,” Obama said in his address today, comments that came a day after angry protesters burned US flags in anti-American demonstrations around the globe. Follow GlobalPost's live coverage of the unrest here.

The unrest has emerged as a unexpected challenge for Obama as he campaigns for reelection, with Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney earlier accusing Obama of having "sympathize[d] with those who waged the attacks." The president responded by saying Romney "seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later," reported CNN.

Watch Obama's full remarks on the Libya attacks and anti-American unrest here: