Authorities in Jordan said they have arrested three assailants who carried out a terrorist attack on Christians in Jordan, killing nine people and injuring 34.

Experts have stressed that the Christian minority belongs in the mainly Muslim country in the Holy Land region.

Christians said the attacks would not chase them away from the Holy Land.

King Abdullah II said those behind the Oct. 23 attack would face the "harshest penalties," as he offered his condolences to the victims' families, Al Jazeera reported.

He has ordered a review of the country's security procedures for responding to terrorist attacks.

Authorities called this rare attack on a Christian place of worship an act of terror.

The UN Secretary-General strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a funeral service in a church in Jordan's Hmoud, Karak Province.

António Guterres expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, reiterating that attacks against civilians and places of worship are unacceptable.

The three masked gunmen opened fire during a funeral in a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud in Jordan, a country that has built a reputation for being a haven of religious tolerance.

Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the members of the Holy Synod, extended their deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the victims and the Jordanian people "regarding this grave tragedy."

"If the intent behind this message is to uproot us from our Holy Land and displace us, it will only serve to strengthen our attachment to it and deepen our roots within it," said the Patriarch.

"No matter how intense the events around us may become, or what hardships may befall us, we shall not be driven to leave our land.

"We are the children of this land, its very roots, and partners in its history, its present, and its future. We shall remain here as witnesses to the faith, regardless of how great the challenges or how severe the trials may be."

Theophilos said that the church holds the absolute conviction that "our Jordanian society will remain resilient against any dark, extremist ideology, and that this criminal act is entirely alien and contrary to the moderate Islam practised in our country."

According to Al Jazeera, Karak governorate is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of Amman and is home to many from Jordan's Christian minority, which makes up about 300,000 of the country's population of 11.5 million people.

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Jerry Pillay, said, "We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and pray for the healing of the injured.

"We stand in solidarity with the churches and people of Jordan. The strong bonds of friendship and mutual respect between Christians and Muslims in Jordan will not be shaken by this act of violence."

At the same time, Pillay said the WCC calls for protecting all places of worship, including churches and mosques, "so that all may gather in prayer in peace and safety."

          'CHRISTIANS BELONG IN JORDAN'

Following last week's attack an expert has told Crux Now, that Christians belong in the country and that interreligious dialogue is "under pressure" in the Middle East.

Waseem Haddad, an expert on interreligious work in the region, said that despite the Oct. 23 attack on the Greek Orthodox church in the Karak governorate,  Christians belong in Jordan.

"Christians have deep roots in Jordan. This is their country, and they take part in its public and political life, in business, education and across economic life. Christian Churches, schools and charitable institutions have a longstanding role, with many services reaching both Christians and Muslims alike," Haddad said.

He atressed the importance of Christians to the region as a whole.

"Christians belong to the region. This is their homeland, and we should speak about them as citizens and partners in its future, a shared future by all. That belonging must be reflected in how people are treated," he said.