Post date: Apr 03, 2011 3:28:15 PM
The U.S. Christian preacher who supervised the burning of Islam's holy book says he is not responsible for the deaths of at least seven United Nations staff in Afghanistan. The employees were killed after protesters demonstrating against the burning stormed a U.N. compound.
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (APRIL 2, 2011) REUTERS - Thousands of protesters in northern Afghanistan, enraged over news that an American Christian preacher had overseen a torching of the Koran,
stormed a United Nations compound on Friday (April 2), killing at least seven U.N. staff.On Saturday (April 2), Florida pastor Terry Jones said he did not feel responsible for the deaths.
"We don't feel responsible for that. Of course, that is what they used. Of course that is very obvious and they're actually saying that. But of course Islam, and as we see their history, I believe they will use any excuse and if they don't have an excuse, they will simply use the excuse that American is in Afghanistan, America is involved in Islamic countries and they should get out. So they will use any excuse they can. Plus, I think, that's very dangerous for us to approach it from that direction because, to a certain extent, what that says is the killing of people is wrong, we are making that statement, we're saying what they did is wrong, but at the same time you were provoked," he said.
Jones, a 58-year-old fundamentalist pastor and the head of a small fringe church in Gainesville, Florida, presided over what he called an "International Judge the Koran Day" on March 20, in which he supervised the burning of the book in front of some 50 people.
Video posted on the website of his Dove World Outreach Center church showed a kerosene-soaked book going up in bright flames in a metal fire pit similar to those often found in backyards and patios, but located inside the church.
U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday described as "outrageous" the killings in Afghanistan triggered after the burning and called the desecration of any holy text "an act of extreme intolerance and bigotry".
"Of course, we are devastated about what happened," Jones said. "Obviously that is terrible anytime people are murdered or killed. Or let's say anytime a life is cut short, whether it be on purpose or by accident, that is a very, very tragic event. That is tragic event. I think on the other hand, if you can say this, on the other hand, I think it shows the radical element of Islam. I think it shows exactly what we're talking about and what we would like to see happen, we would like our president stand up and actually not only condemn this action, which I believe they have done, but the radical element of Islam is not that concerned about words. We have been condemning Islam's actions for hundreds of years and it hasn't changed anything. We feel that the president, that the western nations, they should present this case to the United Nations and we should try to put as much pressure on muslim-dominated countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, or even Saudi Arabia - that they to open up their doors. As you are also aware of, in those countries they do not have religious freedom, they do not have freedom of speech. They do not have freedom of religion. You cannot move there freely as a Christian and minority. So our main goal with this whole thing is to try to get that changed and open that up."
Jones drew worldwide condemnation in September over his plans to burn the Koran on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Several people were killed in protests then in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Muslim world. Jones eventually canceled that event under intense pressure from the U.S. government, the Pope, and other global leaders. But he has remained an outspoken critic of Islam, and says parts of the Koran can lead to violence and terrorism.
"I think they have no right to kill people, just like if my neighbor offends me, no matter what he's done to me, it does not give me the right to break into his house and kill him. But I think they have definitely a right to their opinion, they have a right to protest. I would just hope that people would really listen to what we are saying because we have tried to emphasis this every time. We are not against, for example, the Muslim who immigrates to America, who immigrates legally to America. That is not our aim. They are protected under the constitution. They can be here, they can worship, they can evangelize, they can build churches, that's actually no problem. What we expect of the Muslim who comes to America is that they honor, obey, and respect the constitution of the United States," Jones said.
Jones has said he is planning an April 22 protest outside an Islamic center in Dearborn, Michigan, home to a large Muslim population.