Malaysia has condemned Wednesday's hotel bombings in Jordan which killed 56 people and pledged to continue its support in the fight against terrorism.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he was extremely shocked by the attacks, which were "criminal acts which cannot be justified in any way."

"The government and people of Malaysia condemn in the strongest terms these cowardly and sinful acts of terrorism and express deep sympathies with the families of the innocent victims," Abdullah, who is currently in South Africa, said in a statement released to the state Bernama news agency.

"This scourge against mankind must be eliminated," he added.

Attacks unIslamic

Separately, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said the attacks were unIslamic and governments needed to consider the deeper reasons behind terrorist activity.

"We must also see the issue of terrorism from a wider perspective, not just from the angle of security," Najib, who is also defence minister, told reporters.

"We must look at the source and its other implications, especially as the issue involves ideology, politics," he said.