President Bush on Pearl: Americans 'deeply saddened'

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Here is President Bush's statement on the murder of kidnapped Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl:

Laura and I and the American people are deeply saddened to learn about the loss of Daniel Pearl's life. And we're really sad for his wife and his parents and his friends and colleagues, who have been clinging to hope for weeks that he'd be found alive.

We're especially sad for his unborn child, who now will know his father through the memory of others. All Americans are sad and angry to learn of the murder. All around the world American journalists and humanitarian aid workers and diplomats and others doing important work in places that are sometimes dangerous.

Those who threaten Americans, those who engage in criminal barbaric acts, need to know that these crimes only hurt their cause, and only deepen the resolve of the United States of America to rid the world of these agents of terror.

May God bless Daniel Pearl.