Panetta: U.S. ‘Working Around The Clock’ To Ensure American Hostages’ Return

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Friday that the U.S. is “working around the clock” to ensure the safe return of American hostages being held by Islamist militants in Algeria. Panetta, at Kings College in London, said the U.S. is working with Britain and Algeria to get more information on the situation on the ground, the Associated Press reported.

A source told Reuters that an American plane landed near the gas plant where Westerners have been held hostage to evacuate Americans.