Ether 8

We know that since the beginning there were -

"...secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness..." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 26:22)

" For, from the days of Cain, there was a secret combination, and their works were in the dark, and they knew every man his brother..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:51)

These secret combinations are that -

"...they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help such as sought power to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms." (Book of Mormon Ether 8:16)

We see in the days of Omer, Akish

"...formed a secret combination, even as they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God..." (Book of Mormon Ether 8:18)

Moroni writes that -

"...I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are had among all people..." (Book of Mormon Ether 8:20)

We see them amongst many people today. I think what is the most interesting of with these dark and secret combinations is as Akish said to his kinsfolk -

"...Will ye swear unto me that ye will be faithful unto me in the thing which I shall desire of you?
14 And it came to pass that they all sware unto him, by the God of heaven, and also by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by their heads..." (Book of Mormon Ether 8:13 - 14)

Notice that even Satan said to Cain -

"...Swear unto me by thy throat, and if thou tell it thou shalt die; and swear thy brethren by their heads, and by the living God, that they tell it not..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:29)

It's obvious that Satan and his followers swear by the God in Heaven as if this gives some sort of moral justification to that which is the most abominable of all to God. Do we not see it today with modern day terrorists? And in some cases - politicians. Moroni warned -

"...whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed..." (Book of Mormon Ether 8:22)