The top U.S. Commander in Afghanistan has warned that his troops' lives will be in danger if an American non-denominational church goes ahead with its plan to burn copies of the Holy Quran on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
"It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort," Gen. David Petraeus said in a statement, adding that not just in Afghanistan, but everywhere in the world, "we are engaged with the Islamic community."
He further warned the action could cause problems everywhere and that it would play into the hands of the Taliban in Afghanistan to target Christian institutions. It is "precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems," he added.
His adviser Jack Keane called the plan by the American church "outrageous" and "insulting to Muslims" while the U.S. embassy in Kabul issued a statement condemning the plans.
The warning came after Pastor Terry Jones, a Christian fundamentalist preacher in Gainsesville, Florida, stirred the controversy with his "International Burn a Quran Day' proclamation.
Jones, founder of Dove World Outreach Center, encourages people to burn a Quran on September 11 in memory "of the fallen victims of 9/11 and to stand against the evil of Islam." The Center insists the Quran burning event is "neither an act of love nor of hate", but a warning against what it calls the threats posed by Islam.
However, Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu leaders in Gainesville have joined with their Muslim counterparts to oppose the Quran-burning and are organizing a 'Gathering for Peace, Understanding and Hope' on 9/11 eve.
The announcement has angered Muslims around the world. On Monday a crowd of around 500 Afghans gathered in Kabul to burn American flags and chanted "long live Islam" and "death to America" as they denounced the planned Quran-burning. Thousands of Indonesians gathered outside the American Embassy in Jakarta on Sunday to protest the planned Quran burning.
The controversy comes when Muslims all over the world get ready to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitre, marking conclusion of the month-long Ramadan fasting, alongside the 9/11 anniversary amid a heated debate over plans to build an Islamic Center near ground zero.
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com