Quran burning canceled by Florida pastor

By Luisa Yanez

MIAMI – The pastor of a Florida church announced Thursday he is calling off his plans to burn copies of the Quran on Saturday – the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Rev. Terry Jones said at a press conference he is canceling the controversial event.

The move came hours after President Barack Obama urged the pastor to cancel his plans. Jones said on CNN Thursday afternoon that instead of burning copies of the Quran on Saturday, he will fly to New York City to meet with Muslim leaders who had hoped to build a mosque near the site of Ground Zero.

“If they were willing to move that we would consider that a sign from God,” Jones said. Jones worked out the meeting with the help of Imam Muhammad Musri of Islamic Society of Central Florida, who spoke in Gainesville, Fla., after Jones. “I want to thank him and his church for making the decision today and to bring to a peaceful end what would have been a spectacle,” said Musri, who said he will accompany Jones on his trip to New York.

“The placement of a mosque near the Ground Zero location it has been a provocation for many people to be violent against mosques across the nation,” Musri said.

Obama said in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” that the pastor’s plan would help U.S. enemies, calling it a “a recruitment bonanza for al-Qaida.” “I just want him to understand this stunt he’s talking about pulling could greatly endanger our young men and women in uniform,” Obama said.