Afghan President asks US Congress to condemn Quran burning
April 4th, 2011 - 6:03 pm ICT by ANI
Kabul, Apr.4 (ANI): Afghan president Hamid Karzai has called on the US Congress to condemn Christian preacher Terry Jones’ burning of the Quran, which prompted mob killings in Mazar- e- Sharif.
In a meeting with the US ambassador, Karl Eikenberry, and David Petraeus, the US commander of Nato forces in the country, on Sunday, Karzai demanded that the US Congress should condemn Jones.
His demand comes despite a statement from US President Barack Obama denouncing the behaviour of the pastor as “an act of extreme intolerance and bigotry.”
A report on the national security council meeting issued by Karzai’s office, highlights concerns of some analysts that Karzai is only catering to demands of anti-western protesters rather than attempting to stop violence that has cost dozens of lives, including seven UN officials killed by a mob in Mazar-e-Sharif on Friday.
Violence continued for a second day in Kandahar, with at least one person killed, while protests against the Quran burning also raged in Jalalabad where students blocked a road to Kabul, The Guardian reports.
Karzai has been bitterly criticised for drawing attention to the Quran burning injcident as though it had been ignored by the media, Karzai had issued a press release condemning the “crime against a religion and entire Muslim community, on March 24, four days after the incident took place in Gainsville, Florida.
He said the US and UN should “bring to justice the perpetrators of this crime”.
Meanwhile, Jones has claimed the FBI told him a 2.4 million bounty had been put on his head in Pakistan adding that he has been “saddened” by the violence created due to the incident. (ANI)
- Moscow condemns attack on UN office in Afghanistan - Apr 02, 2011
- Over 100 killed in Quran burning protests in Afghanistan (Lead) - Apr 04, 2011
- Mob attacks UN office in Afghanistan, 8 staffers killed - Apr 02, 2011
- Nine killed in Afghan Quran burning protests - Apr 03, 2011
- Obama condemns attack on UN office in Afghanistan - Apr 02, 2011
- Nine killed in Quran burning protest in Afghanistan - Apr 02, 2011
- 'Religious sentiments lead to massive violence in Afghanistan over Koran burning issue' - Apr 03, 2011
- Quran burning protests rage in Afghanistan - Feb 22, 2012
- Indian missions in Afghanistan under constant threat: Krishna - Jan 07, 2011
- Spanish troops to start leaving Afghanistan in January - Dec 07, 2011
- 'I would rather die than stop preaching against Islam': Pastor Jones - Apr 05, 2011
- 52 dead, 130 injured in triple Afghanistan bombings - Dec 06, 2011
- Pakistan condemns Quran burning in US - May 03, 2012
- Four killed in Afghanistan Quran burning protests (Lead) - Feb 22, 2012
- 'Karzai widened divide between US, Afghanistan by condemning Koran burning issue' - Apr 06, 2011
Tags: afghan president hamid karzai, barack obama, christian preacher, david petraeus, extreme intolerance, gainsville florida, guardian reports, hamid karzai, jalalabad, kandahar, karl eikenberry, mazar e sharif, muslim community, national security council, nato forces, president hamid karzai, road to kabul, terry jones, us commander, us congress