UNITED NATIONS, Sept 23: Invoking the recent devastating terrorist attack in Islamabad, US President George Bush said on Tuesday that multinational organisations now “needed more urgently than ever” to combat terrorists and extremists who were threatening world order.

In his eighth and final speech to the UN General Assembly, Mr Bush said: “... the ideals of the charter are now facing a challenge as serious as any since the UN’s founding: a global movement of violent extremists.”

He said that “by delivering murder -- by deliberately murdering the innocent to advance their aims, these extremists defy the fundamental principles of international order. They show contempt for all who respect life and value human dignity. They reject the words of the Bible, the Quran, the Torah, or any standard of conscience or morality”.

Mr Bush called on member states “to uphold the words of the charter in the face of this challenge, every nation in this chamber has responsibilities. As sovereign states, we have an obligation to govern responsibly and solve problems before they spill across borders”.

He emphasised that “in the decades ahead, the United Nations and other multilateral organisations must continually confront terror.

”This mission requires clarity of vision. We must see the terrorists for what they are: ruthless extremists who exploit the desperate, subvert the tenets of a great religion, and seek to impose their will on as many people as possible. Some suggest that these men would pose less of a threat if we’d only leave them alone. Yet, their leaders make clear that no concession could ever satisfy their ambitions”, said Mr Bush.

“Bringing the terrorists to justice does not create terrorism; it’s the best way to protect our people,” he added.

“Like slavery and piracy, terrorism has no place in the modern world,” he said referring to the various statements made by international organisations, including the Security Council.

“Around the globe, nations are turning these words into action. Members of the United Nations are sharing intelligence with one another, conducting joint operations, and freezing terrorist finances.... Libya has renounced its support for terror and its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Nations like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are actively pursuing the terrorists,” Mr Bush said.

He warned: “As the 21st century unfolds, some may be tempted to assume that the threat has receded. This would be comforting. It would be wrong. The terrorists believe time is on their side, so they’ve made waiting out civilised nations part of their strategy. We must not allow them to succeed.”

Instead of issuing statements and resolutions after terrorist attacks, he said, the UN and such organisations must work closely to prevent violence. Every nation has responsibilities to prevent its territory from being used for terrorists, drug trafficking and nuclear proliferation.

Mr Bush’s appearance was overshadowed by the US financial markets crisis that has rippled through world markets. Trying to reassure world leaders that his administration was taking decisive action to stem market turmoil, he said he was confident that Congress would act in the “urgent time frame required” to prevent broader problem. But he did not ask other nations to take any specific actions.