An evangelical pastor insisted his plans for a mass torching of the Koran would go ahead after US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton condemned the “disgraceful” burning ceremony in Florida.
Clinton was the most senior US official to speak out against the torching scheduled for the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, saying she was “heartened by the clear, unequivocal condemnation of this disrespectful, disgraceful act that has come from American religious leaders of all faiths.”
The White House also added its voice to warnings that the move could trigger outrage around the Islamic world and endanger the lives of US soldiers.
“It puts our troops in harm’s way. And obviously any type of activity like that that puts our troops in harm’s way would be a concern to this administration,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said on Tuesday.
He was reiterating comments by top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, who warned burning the holy book of Islam would provide propaganda for insurgents.
However, a small church, the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, has vowed to mark Saturday’s ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks by burning Korans as they remember the almost 3,000 people killed by hijackers.
“We are taking his concerns very seriously,” pastor Terry Jones told CNN late on Tuesday, referring to Petraeus, but “we right now have plans to continue.”
Jones said the Koran torching aimed “to remember those who were brutally murdered on Sept. 11,” and to send a warning “to the radical element of Islam.”
“Instead of us being blamed for what other people will do or might do, why don’t we send a warning to them?” he said.
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