Top Republican Praises Obama for Strike on Cleric

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee says the killing of an American-born cleric in Yemen is a "tremendous tribute" to President Barack Obama and the U.S. intelligence community.

In a statement, New York Rep. Peter King says the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki is a great success in the fight against al-Qaida and its affiliates. King says that in recent years al-Awlaki has been more dangerous than Osama bin Laden.

U.S. counterterrorism officials said that Al-Awlaki was killed early Friday in a strike on his convoy in Yemen. Officials say the attack was carried out by a joint operation of the CIA and the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command.