US pastor who burned Koran says violent attack in Afghanistan ‘proves his point’ about Islam
April 2nd, 2011 - 1:05 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Apr 2 (ANI): Terry Jones, the Florida pastor who oversaw the burning of a Koran last month, has said that he does not feel responsible for a violent protest at a United Nations compound that killed 12 people in Afghanistan.
The New York Times quoted Jones as saying that the protest proved his point.
“We don’t feel responsible for that,” he said.
“It is not that we burn the Koran with some type of vindictive motive. We do not even burn it with great pleasure or any pleasure at all. We burn it because we feel a deep obligation to stay with the court system of America. The court system of America does not allow convicted criminals to go free. And that is why we feel obligated to do this.”
The killings in Afghanistan’s northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif followed a protest march against the Koran burning issue. Jones supervised while another pastor, Wayne Sapp, soaked the Koran in kerosene and burned it.
Prior to the Koran burning incident, Jones had conduced a self-styled mock trial of the holy book wherein he pronounced the Koran guilty of five “crimes against humanity,” including the promotion of terrorist acts and “the death, rape and torture of people worldwide whose only crime is not being of the Islamic faith,” the paper said.
Reverend Lawrence D. Reimer, pastor of the United Church of Gainesville lamented the death of the people in Afghanistan, saying: “It’s just a horrible tragedy that this act triggered the deaths of more innocent people.”
Meanwhile, Jones has urged the United States and United Nations take “immediate action” against Muslim nations in retaliation for the deaths.
“The time has come to hold Islam accountable,” he added. (ANI)
- Afghan insurgent believed to be ringleader of attack on U.N. Office over Koran burning issue - Apr 02, 2011
- US pastor who burned Koran considering putting Prophet Mohammed on trial - Apr 03, 2011
- Taliban stirring violence in Afghanistan: Senior police officials - Apr 10, 2011
- Americans Stand Against Small 50 Member Church Burning the Quran - Sep 09, 2010
- Koran burning US pastor jailed - Apr 23, 2011
- 'I would rather die than stop preaching against Islam': Pastor Jones - Apr 05, 2011
- Crusade against Muslims costs 'Ground Zero' Koran-burning pastor his flock - Nov 17, 2010
- Quran burning would be a recruitment bonanza for Al Qaeda: Obama (Lead) - Sep 09, 2010
- Moscow condemns attack on UN office in Afghanistan - Apr 02, 2011
- Gen. Petraeus warns US church plans to burn Koran on 9/11 will hit Afghan campaign - Sep 07, 2010
- Pakistan condemns Quran burning in US - May 03, 2012
- Britain bans entry of US pastor who threatened to burn Quran - Jan 20, 2011
- Man arrested in England for allegedly burning Koran - Jan 21, 2011
- 'Religious sentiments lead to massive violence in Afghanistan over Koran burning issue' - Apr 03, 2011
- 2 die in the anti-Koran burning protest event in Kabul - Sep 13, 2010
Tags: crimes against humanity, death rape, horrible tragedy, islamic faith, kerosene, killings, mazar, mock trial, muslim nations, new york times, protest march, rape and torture, reimer, retaliation, sapp, terrorist acts, terry jones, united church, violent attack, violent protest