US pastor Terry Jones cancels Koran burning
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US pastor Terry Jones: "We have agreed to cancel our event"
The pastor of a small US church who planned to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of 9/11 has cancelled his protest.
Terry Jones said he was calling off the event after the group behind a planned Islamic centre near Ground Zero in New York agreed to relocate it.
But the cultural centre's organisers said they had no plans to move it.
Mr Jones' plan had been internationally condemned and had already sparked many protests around the world.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates had telephoned him to urge him to reconsider his plans. The pastor had also been visited several times by the FBI.
Mr Jones, pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, which has fewer than 50 members, had named Saturday "International Burn a Koran Day".
But at a news conference, he said he was now dropping the plans and urged his supporters to do the same.
"We would right now ask no one to burn Korans. We are absolutely strong on that. It is not the time to do it," he said.
“Start Quote
End Quote Terry JonesIf they were willing to either cancel the mosque at the Ground Zero location, or if they were willing to move it away from that location, we would consider that sign from God”
He said he would travel to New York on Saturday to meet those behind the Islamic centre, saying they had "agreed to move the location".
"The American people do not want the mosque there, and, of course, Muslims do not want us to burn the Koran," he said.
"If it's not moved, then I think Islam is a very poor example of religion. I think that would be very pitiful. I do not expect that."
'No agreement'Mr Jones was joined at his news conference by Muhammad Musri from the Islamic Foundation of Central Florida.
Mr Musri said he and Mr Jones had committed to travelling to New York "to come to a decision on moving the mosque".
"We are committed to dissolving the situation here and there," he said.
He also thanked Mr Jones for his "courage and his willingness to take these serious events that are unfolding".
But the organisers of the New York centre said no agreement had been reached with Mr Jones.
AFP news agency quoted Daisy Khan, wife of the imam behind the project, as saying: "We don't know anything about it".
Mr Musri later clarified to reporters that no guarantees about moving the Islamic centre had been given.
He and Mr Jones had only agreed to fly to New York to discuss the location of the Islamic centre with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf.
Plans for the Islamic centre have prompted fierce debate in the US because of its proximity to the scene of the 9/11 terror attacks.
President Barack Obama had earlier warned Mr Jones the proposed burning would be "a recruitment bonanza" for al-Qaeda.
The US State Department had warned US citizens of an increased risk of attack, while international police organisation Interpol also issued a warning of the risk of violent response.
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Commentary
One small step for Muslims, one Giant Leap for American values, principles, and Ideals.
That's what this great country was built upon, not on isolationism, hatred, and extremism.
Well done America, Well done.
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