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Barack Obama condolences on Briton Linda Norgrove death Obama condolences on death of Briton Linda Norgrove
(40 minutes later)
Barack Obama has spoken to David Cameron about the death of kidnapped British aid worker Linda Norgrove.Barack Obama has spoken to David Cameron about the death of kidnapped British aid worker Linda Norgrove.
UK and US officials are investigating whether Ms Norgrove was killed by a grenade during a rescue attempt by American forces in Afghanistan.UK and US officials are investigating whether Ms Norgrove was killed by a grenade during a rescue attempt by American forces in Afghanistan.
The White House said the US president offered his deepest condolences for Ms Norgrove's death.The White House said the US president offered his deepest condolences for Ms Norgrove's death.
Mr Obama said her work represented her extraordinary commitment to advance the lives of others.Mr Obama said her work represented her extraordinary commitment to advance the lives of others.
Conflicting evidence
Mr Obama and Mr Cameron agreed the rescue mission was necessary because her life was in grave danger, and that it was now essential to get to the bottom of what had happened.Mr Obama and Mr Cameron agreed the rescue mission was necessary because her life was in grave danger, and that it was now essential to get to the bottom of what had happened.
Nato sources in Afghanistan initially claimed that she had been killed by one of her captors setting off a suicide bomb, but it then emerged she may have been killed by an American grenade. Nato sources in Afghanistan initially claimed that she had died when one of her captors set off a suicide bomb, but it then emerged she may have been killed by an American grenade.
A Downing Street spokesman said: "The president offered his condolences for the death of Linda Norgrove.A Downing Street spokesman said: "The president offered his condolences for the death of Linda Norgrove.
"[Mr Cameron and President Obama] agreed that the decision to launch the rescue operation had been right, given the grave danger to Linda's life, and that US forces had shown great courage."[Mr Cameron and President Obama] agreed that the decision to launch the rescue operation had been right, given the grave danger to Linda's life, and that US forces had shown great courage.
"They looked forward to close co-operation between the UK and US authorities on the investigation and agreed to stay in close touch as it moved forward.""They looked forward to close co-operation between the UK and US authorities on the investigation and agreed to stay in close touch as it moved forward."
US military sources said surveillance of the operation from overhead and on the ground was conflicting.
Rescue agreed
The joint US-UK investigation into the failed rescue attempt will be led by the chief of staff of the US Special Operations Command, Maj Gen Joseph Votel, the BBC was told.
The investigators will look at surveillance footage of the operation taken by helicopters or pilotless drone aircraft as well as from cameras mounted on the helmets of the soldiers on the ground.
At a Downing Street news conference on Monday, Mr Cameron said 12 meetings of the government emergencies committee, Cobra, had taken place before Foreign Secretary William Hague and the US agreed the rescue attempt should go ahead.
The decision was then approved by the prime minister.
Ms Norgrove, 36, from the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, who was employed by US aid group DAI, was seized in the Dewagal valley in Kunar province on 26 September.
Three local staff, who were kidnapped with her when the two cars they were travelling in were ambushed, were released unharmed last week.
DAI vice-president Betsy Marcotte told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she did not blame US troops for her colleague's death.
"Clearly it is distressing news, but it doesn't change anything for me," she said.
"I feel confident in how this was handled and that we have been satisfied that the British and the Americans were doing everything they could."