Jordan slams terrorists for plot to "use religion as a mask"

King Abdullah II of Jordan on Monday criticized terrorists or outlaw gangs in the world's Muslim communities, for their plot to "use religion as a mask," describing them as "a drop of venom" that "can poison a well."

The Jordanian leader made the remarks when he was taking the floor at the General Debate of the UN General Assembly, which opened here Monday morning.

"Let us recognize deceit," he said. "When we examine the motives of these outlaws, the khawarej -- and indeed, the motives of extremists on all sides -- we find hunger for power and control: of people, of money, of land."

Although the king did not identify what he called the outlaw gangs, he was implying the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, which has been waging terrorist campaigns to worsen the already instable situations in Iraq, Yemen and Syria since last year.

"They use religion as a mask," he said. "Is there a worse crime than twisting God's words to promote your own interests? Is there a more despicable act than feeding on the vulnerable and innocent, to recruit them to your ranks?"

"In the global Muslim community -- 1.7 billion men and women, one quarter of humanity -- today's outlaw gangs are nothing but a drop in the ocean," he said. "But a drop of venom can poison a well."

"We must protect the purity of our faith from worldly contamination," he said. "As Muslim, this is our fight, and our duty."

"We must act, collectively, for the future of our world," he said. "And connectivity is key."

"These bonds are the power and promise of our United Nations," he said. "Here, together, we can and must create the future our people need: a safer, stronger world of co-existence, inclusion, shared prosperity and peace." Enditem