Cairo – Grand Mufti of Jordan Abdul Karim Khasawneh expressed his country’s support to Saudi Arabia in combating terrorism and fighting extremist groups.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper on Wednesday, Khasawneh said that Arab and Islamic populations were facing premeditated violence perpetrated by groups that are pretending to defend the Islamic religion.

He stated that Saudi Arabia was deploying big efforts to fighting terrorism and protecting countries that are suffering from terrorism and violence.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is deploying major efforts to fight terrorism and warn against it,” Khasawneh said, adding: “It is able to fight terrorism and we fully support its war on terror.”

The Grand Mufti praised the positive role assumed by the Kingdom in the Arab world, in particular in Palestine and Syria, adding that Saudi Arabia was keen on preserving the interests of Muslim populations across the world.

“Saudi Arabia has a long history in working for the causes of the Islamic and Arab nations,” he said.

Khasawneh stressed the important work achieved by Saudi Arabia in humanitarian assistance and hailed its continuous support to Islamic and charitable organizations, and its keenness on spreading the Islamic culture in the world.

“Saudi Arabia has greatly contributed to serving the Islamic religion and Muslims; it has also supported the Palestinian cause and played a constructive role in countries of eastern Asia and other neighboring states,” the Jordanian Mufti said.

He added that terrorism and violent acts perpetrated by extremist groups had nothing to do with the Islamic religion, stressing that Islam calls for promoting tolerance and preserving liberties and human rights.