Confusion over mosque status following pastor’s plan to put burning Quran on 9/11 “on hold”

NEW YORK - The American pastor, who threatened to burn copies of the Quran on the anniversary of 9/11, has said that his plans were not cancelled, but “on hold”.

A spokesman for pastor Terry Jones said that Islamic Society of Central Florida imam Muhammad Musri, who had got him to drop the plan, had lied to him.

Earlier, Jones had said that he had cancelled the book burning scheduled for Saturday at his Dove World Outreach Centre in Florida after he was assured that ‘Ground Zero mosque’ Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf would move the Islamic Center.

“We are, of course, now against any other group burning Korans. We would right now ask no one to burn Korans. We are absolutely strong on that. It is not the time to do it,” The Daily News quoted Jones, as saying.

The preacher had also announced that he was flying to New York to meet Rauf.

“The American people do not want the mosque there, and, of course, Muslims do not want us to burn the Koran. The imam has agreed to move the mosque. We have agreed to cancel our event on Saturday,” he had said.

Soon after Jones’ remarks, Rauf had denied that they agreed to move the controversial Islamic Center near Ground Zero to another site.

“I am surprised by their announcement. We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we going to barter. We are here to extend our hands to build peace and harmony,” Rauf said in a statement.

Islamic center developer Sharif El-Gamal echoed Rauf, and said: “It is untrue that the community center known as Park51 in lower Manhattan is being moved. The project will proceed as planned.” (ANI)