USA: Florida pastor Terry Jones burns copies of Koran outside church

Jones, a former hotel manager turned preacher, first gained notoriety two years ago for placing “Islam is of the Devil” signs outside his church. He then sparked headlines, and condemnation, when he organized “International Burn-a-Koran Day.”

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: New York Daily News
By Michael Sheridan | April 29, 2012

Dove World Outreach Center preacher fined for act as officials fear it may spark Muslim outrage

An Islamophobic pastor in Florida is playing with fire once again.

Terry Jones, who sparked international outrage in 2010 when he vowed to burn copies of the Koran, ignited copies of the Islamic holy book outside his Dove World Outreach Center Saturday night, according to the Gainsville Sun.

The pastor — who once promised he would "not ever" burn a Koran — also burned an image depicting the prophet Muhammad, the newspaper reported.

Jones carried out the incendiary act along with about 20 others to protest the imprisonment of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, a Christian jailed in Iran since 2009 for his religious beliefs, according to the Christian Post.

“Our end result is we would like to have these things brought in front of the United Nations,” Jones told the newspaper.

“We would like Islam-dominated countries to adapt at least some form of human rights, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion rights; individual rights [and] civil rights. That would be the outcome that we would desire.”

Pentagon officials had asked Jones not go through with the Koran burning over fears it would endanger the lives of American troops in Afghanistan.

“The last time Pastor Jones burned a Koran, back in March of 2011, more than 16 people died and more than 90 people were injured from the resulting protests,” Pentagon spokesman Commander Bill Speaks told the U.K.’s Guardian. “We hope Pastor Jones will take into account the safety and welfare of deployed U.S. military personnel before engaging in such an activity again.”

Jones has denied his actions were responsible for any violence.

The Gainsville fire department and police quickly arrived after Saturday's incident. Jones was fined nearly $300 when fire officials said he did not have the proper authorization to burn books, the Gainsville Sun reported.

Jones, a former hotel manager turned preacher, first gained notoriety two years ago for placing “Islam is of the Devil” signs outside his church.

He then sparked headlines, and condemnation, when he organized “International Burn-a-Koran Day.”

The move drew anger throughout the Muslim world, as well as from military officials and President Obama himself.

Jones eventually called off that Koran burning event.

“We feel that God has told us to stop,” he said at the time.

However, in 2011, a member of his church burned a Koran and streamed it live via the Internet. That incident was blamed for fueling violent protests in Afghanistan and Indonesia.

msheridan@nydailynews.com; or follow him at Twitter.com/NYDNSheridan

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