Pastor Cancels Planned Koran Burning
CNN reports that Florida pastor Terry Jones has canceled his plans to burn a copy of the Koran on the anniversary of 9/11.
A Florida pastor Thursday called off his controversial plan to burn copies of the Quran on the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.
The Rev. Terry Jones of the Gainesville, Florida-based Dove World Outreach Center, standing with a Florida Muslim leader, also said the imam who planned a mosque and Islamic center near ground zero in New York has agreed to move it to another location. But the imam who appeared with him said that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf in New York agreed to speak with Jones about possibly moving the center.
A spokesman from Soho Properties told CNN producer Vivienne Foley that "the Muslim community center called Park51 in lower Manhattan is not being moved."
Jones, meanwhile, said he will travel to New York on Saturday to meet with Rauf.
Jones told reporters that he took a phone call from Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who "was very gracious and encouraged us not to continue." That conversation could not be confirmed.
The pastor appeared at an afternoon press conference with Imam Muhammad Musri of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, who said he will make the trip with Jones.
"I think the location of the mosque next to the ground zero location is unnecessary," Musri said.
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