Slate.com is reporting that the United States is offering to help Nigeria track down the Islamic extremists behind Sunday's deadly Christmas bombings, according to Bloomberg News. Abby Olheiser and Will Oremus report:

“We have been in contact with Nigerian officials about what appear to be terrorist acts and pledge to assist them in bringing those responsible to justice,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said in a statement. "We condemn this senseless violence and tragic loss of life on Christmas Day."

The death toll in the most deadly of the attacks -- a bombing of a church in the capital, Abuja -- has risen to 35, with another 52 wounded, the Associated Press reports. More than 40 are dead in all.

The violence has left worshippers fearful of further attacks. This is the second Christmas in a row that the radical, anti-Western Muslim sect Boko Haram has been blamed for deadly attacks on the Christian holiday. Last year, 32 were killed on Christmas Eve.

Boko Haram is definitely focused on terrorizing Nigerians. Its activity leading up to the holidays clearly demonstrated that the organization was planning an attack. Clearly, those in power in Nigeria have been unable to get this terrorist group under control.

Maybe U.S. intervention will help -- or it may fan the flames even further. You would think that with the country having just suffered its worst oil spill in recent years, Boko Haram would be helping to keep the oil from reaching the nation's shoreline instead of killing innocent people.

Read more at Slate.com.

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