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A couple of weeks ago, Terry Jones was just another Florida preacher. Now, Jones is becoming a household name as his controversial plan to burn copies of the Quran has sparked protests around the Nation and the World. The latest person to weigh in is General David Petreus, commander of American Forces in Afghanistan.
Petreus released a statement Monday, condemning the act of protest, planned for September 11th, by Jones’ church, Dove World Outreach Center.
“Images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan — and around the world — to inflame public opinion and incite violence.” The General went on to to say that “Such images could, in fact, be used as were the photos from Abu Gharyb. And this would, again, put our troopers and civilian in jeopardy and undermine our efforts to accomplish the critical mission here in Afghanistan.”
15 people died and many more were injured in Afghanistan in 2005 after false rumors spread that soldiers at Guantanamo Bay had flushed a single copy of the Quran down a toilet.
The Gainesville, Florida-based church where Jones serves as Pastor, calls the protest an “act of love nor of hate,” but rather because the “world is in bondage to the massive grip of the lies of Islam.” Named “International Burn a Quran Day,” the act seems to be consistent with the 58 year-old Pastor’s somewhat controversial views on the World’s second largest religion. Jones is the Author of the book, “Islam is of the Devil” and seems to openly preach this doctrine to the 50 or so followers who regularly attend his sermons.
Jones explained that the pyre, slated for the 9th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, would involve a couple hundred copies of the Quran. He said hundreds were expected to attend the protest.
Shadra Bruce is a contributing writer for News By The Second
