Burning Koran 'Will Put US Troops At Risk'
Sep-08-2010

An evangelical priest's plans to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks will put soldiers' lives at risk, the US has warned.

Terry Jones, minister of the Dove World Outreach Centre in Florida, says the event will "remember those who were brutally murdered" and send a warning "to the radical element of Islam".

But US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the idea a "disrespectful, disgraceful act".
Others in the Obama administration weighed in against the proposed burning, including attorney general Eric Holder, who called it idiotic and dangerous.

Mrs Clinton said: "I am heartened by the clear, unequivocal condemnation of this disrespectful, disgraceful act that has come from American religious leaders of all faiths."

The priest organising the Koran burning said on Tuesday he would go ahead with it in spite of the government's concerns.

Mr Jones admitted he had received more than 100 death threats and had taken to wearing a pistol on his hip.
The White House has echoed calls from General David Petraeus, the top US and Nato commander in Afghanistan, for the event to be cancelled.

Government spokesman Robert Gibbs said: "Any type of activity like that, that puts our troops in harm's way, would be a concern to this administration."

Gen Petraeus says the image of the burning could have a similar impact to photographs of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib jail, making targets of Americans around the world.

He said it could "endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort" in Afghanistan.

Mr Jones said he took Gen Petraeus' words seriously, but "instead of us being blamed for what other people will do or might do, why don't we send a warning to them?"

"Why don't we send a warning to radical Islam and say, don't do it. If you attack us, if you attack us, we will attack you," the priest continued.

There have already been protests against the burning in the Afghan capital Kabul and in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country.

Iran has warned it could unleash an uncontrolled Muslim response.

Authorities in Florida have so far refused Mr Jones a "burn permit" but admitted they may be unable to prevent the event going ahead.

The attorney general has met religious leaders from different faiths to discuss how to stem a wave of Islamophobia which has risen since plans were unveiled to build an Islamic cultural centre close to Ground Zero in New York.

"Having spoken to many families across the country over the last few weeks, I have heard many Muslim Americans say they have never felt this anxious or this insecure in America since directly after September 11," said Ingrid Mattson, head of the Islamic Society of North America.

:: Almost 3,000 people were killed on September 11, 2001, after passenger planes were hijacked over America.

Posted by Clay Kohut at 12:43 AM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print