A US pastor says he is not "backing down" from plans to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of 9/11, despite international outrage.

"We are not convinced that backing down is the right thing," said Terry Jones of 50-member Florida church, the Dove World Outreach Center.

The group's plan has sparked condemnation from Muslim countries, Nato and the top US Afghan commander.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the plan "disgraceful".

On Monday, General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Afghanistan, warned troops' lives would be in danger if the church went through with its bonfire.

The US Attorney General, Eric Holder, called the idea "idiotic and dangerous".

But organiser, Pastor Terry Jones said on Wednesday that his plan to burn the Islamic holy book is intended to draw attention to his belief that "something's wrong."

"It is possibly time for us in a new way to actually stand up, confront terrorism," Mr Jones told reporters.

He acknowledged Gen Petraeus' concerns, but claimed to have been contacted by a special forces officer who told him US troops were supportive of his plan.

"So on September the eleventh we shall continue with our planned event."

The controversy comes at a time when the US relationship with Islam is very much under scrutiny.

There is heated debate in the country over a proposal to build a mosque and Islamic cultural centre streets from Ground Zero, site of the 9/11 attacks, in New York.

Gen Petraeus said on Monday that the bonfire could cause problems "not just in Kabul, but everywhere in the world".

"It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems," he said in a statement.

Pastor Jones - author of a book entitled Islam is of the Devil - has said he understands the general's concerns but that it was "time for America to quit apologising for our actions and bowing to kings".

The Vatican, the Obama administration and Nato have also expressed concern over the plan.

Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen blasted the plans, telling reporters that burning Korans violated the Nato alliance's "values".

Muslims consider the Koran to be the word of God and insist it be treated with the utmost respect. Any intentional damage or show of disrespect to the holy book is deeply offensive to them.

An interfaith group of evangelical, Roman Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim leaders meeting in Washington on Tuesday condemned the proposals as a violation of American values and the Bible.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11238062

Doesn't the US have some sort of law or can the police not stop this?

This a**hat knows nothing about Islam, has he even tried to read the Holy Qur'an? My guessing is NO. Islam does not promote Terrorism, if you commit suicide you're no longer Muslim.

Sign this petition if you can!!

http://www.muslimpetition.co.uk/muslimpetition_3_burn_quran_day/index.php

A petition is worthless, he is doing something completly f**ked up and being a politicaly popular a**hat but he's not doing anything illegal. We have freedom of speech and freedom of religion and sadly they get Just like how we have the "right" to burn a flag or a cross or any other book because its covered by those freedoms and those freedoms sadly get manipulated by people like that. This is why its so hard for us to shut down so many of the things we know are wrong... I'm sure theres a way we could find a legal loophole to get him to stop but I'm sure he's already found the holes and found ways to counter them...

^^ I hope it works, too. My country has gotten completely out of hand and I'm ashamed to be here... inmates running the asylum. I know those who disagree with the planned burning are being vocal about it, but I think we're outnumbered. Guess this "church" never heard of the Golden Rule. Burn some Bibles and watch them get homicidal.

This morning on CNN I saw plenty of people call it "distasteful," "disrespectful," "idiotic"... So who's gonna grow a pair and say it's WRONG??

As much as I detest what he plans on doing, I have to say that he has the rights to burn whatever book he pleases--as long as it complies with burn permits of his town. I think he is a hypocritical a**hat who would most likely try to do whatever he could legally if any other group arranged a "Burn the Bible Day". If anything, Muslims can arrange a counter protest by burning whichever Christian book they please, but I'm pretty sure that they would have a way more respect for the Christian bible than the Christians have of the Qur'an.

On another issue, I have been going back and forth with fellow atheists who for some reason are up in arms with the "Ground Zero Mosque", which is neither a mosque or at ground zero. I've been trying to tell them that you can't equate all of Islam with some nut jobs like they wouldn't equate all of Christianity with nut jobs like Fred Phelps and this Terry Jones. It is so f**king infuriating.

^^ Mm, I know he's within his legal rights. But gov't can't legislate humanity, that was the sense of "wrong" to which I was referring. I understand. I'd like to see more public discussion of that distinction, though.

Some one should just set him on fire for being stupid!

So, it looks like he's calling it off guess we'll have to see if he really does or not

Fla. minister cancels burning of Qur'ans on 9/11

Looks like he had a flight of sanity.

He had the right to burn them, but then thought it would still be a bad idea.


Maybe the dopes looking to build the big Mosque in NYC that's pissing off millions and millions of people will follow his example. That just because you can, doesn't mean you should, having the right to do something and it being the right idea are two completely different things.

^^ That's just the way I feel.

The protests (on both sides) taking place two blocks from Ground Zero today are more offensive to the memory of 9/11 than the mosque over which they fight.

There is actually a store that said they are going to be closed on 9/11 in honor of the men that died for the qur'an.

I can see both sides. On the one hand there are radicals that want to push things way too far. Those people see others that don't believe in the religion as "cows". They believe that those cows should be killed because they are living unholy lives and ruining the world.

On the other hand there are those that believe in the religion and just want to believe in their god but get along with others as if just because there are religious differences that is no reason to not get along. Those people are the ones that are being unrightfully abused.

I was at church and after mass they were talking about how religious differences are just too strong because, "they believe if you love something you have to kill it." In a way I can understand with wanting to be negative towards those that are radical and have evil thoughts on their mind. At the same time I think it's unfair to attack everyone. But if we remember back in history when pearl harbor happened all Japenese persons in america were put into camps weather they were bad or not. It is unfortunate, but that was the best way that people could see of putting this under control. At this point I'm not sure if we are going to be able to change anyone's opinions if they are hateful against muslims. In time I'm hoping this will die down.

You know, all we would have to do is get the media to ignore him and his little stunt would mean nothing. But everyone loves themselves some f**king drama.