Britain on Wednesday barred firebrand US pastor Terry Jones from the country, saying the controversial preacher who had threatened to burn the Koran was guilty of “unacceptable behavior.”
“The government opposes extremism in all its forms, which is why we have excluded pastor Terry Jones from the UK,” a spokesman from the Home Office said.
Jones, who triggered an international furor last year with plans to burn Koran on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks in the US, said he was disappointed with the ban.
“We are very disappointed. We would ask that they reconsider, that the ban be lifted,” he told Sky News television.
He was originally invited to speak in Britain at a rally organized by the far-right English Defence League (EDL) on Feb. 5 in Luton, just north of London. The EDL says it fights what it calls the spread of militant Islam in Britain.
However, the group withdrew its offer in the face of public opposition to the visit and concerns that Jones’ presence could inflame tensions in the town, which has a significant Muslim population.
After the invite was retracted, Jones said he still planned to visit Britain and was thinking of organizing an event in London. He also said he would fight any attempt to block him from visiting the country. He said he wanted to visit his daughter, who lived in Britain.
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