California Shooting An 'Act Of Terrorism,' Says US President Barack Obama

Washington: US President Barack Obama described the mass shooting in California an "act of terrorism" in a rare televised primetime address to the nation four days after the carnage left 14 dead.

President Obama said the Muslim couple who mounted the attack "had gone down the dark path of radicalization, embracing a perverted interpretation of Islam that calls for war against America and the West."

"They had stockpiled assault weapons, ammunition and pipe bombs. So this was an act of terrorism," he said in his 13-minute address to the nation, only the third he has delivered from the White House Oval Office.

The US President also vowed to "destroy" the Islamic State group, branding its fighters "thugs and killers".

"The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it," he said, adding, "We will destroy ISIL and any other organization that tries to harm us."

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President Obama announced no significant shift in US strategy and offered no new policy prescriptions for defeating ISIS, underscoring both his confidence in his current approach and the lack of easy options for countering the extremist group. He did call on Congress to tighten America's visa waiver program and to pass a new authorization for military actions underway against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

While Barack Obama has spoken frequently about ISIS in recent news conferences and other events, the decision to speak in prime-time reflected concern among his advisers that his message isn't breaking through. The White House has been particularly concerned about the heated rhetoric from Republican presidential candidates about Muslims.

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The President implored Americans to not turn against Muslims at home, saying ISIS was driven by a desire to spark a war between the West and Islam. Still, he called on Muslims in the US and around the world to take up the cause of fighting extremism.

The spread of radical Islam, he said, is "a real problem that Muslims most confront without excuse."

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The President also reiterated his call for tightening US gun laws, saying no matter how effective law enforcement and intelligence are, they can't identify every would-be shooter. He called it a matter of national security to prevent potential killers from getting guns.