Obama: "IRS targeting of conservative groups 'intolerable'."

US President Barack Obama has said the federal tax agency's targeting of conservative groups for extra scrutiny was "intolerable and inexcusable".

He said those responsible for the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) actions would be held responsible.

Obama spoke after a treasury department report placed the blame on "ineffective management" at the agency.

The US attorney general earlier ordered an FBI inquiry into the IRS's conduct before the 2012 presidential election.
Eric Holder told a news conference that agents would determine if any laws had been broken.

The actions of tax officers, if not criminal, were "certainly outrageous and unacceptable", Holder added.
The IRS had used key words such as "Tea Party" and "Patriot" to subject applications by groups seeking tax-exempt status for extra scrutiny.

On Tuesday evening, Obama said in a statement on the treasury department's investigation: "The report's findings are intolerable and inexcusable.