US pastor cancels Koran burning

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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.

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 would now travel to New York on Saturday to meet those behind the Islamic centre and discuss its relocation.

President Barack Obama had earlier warned Mr Jones the 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.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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