Thread: Koran burning pastor give 2 hr. deadline to move mosque

From Sky News, United Kingdom (See video at link)


Breaking News

7:30pm UK, Friday September 10, 2010
Koran Burning Pastor's Two-Hour Deadline



Graham Fitzgerald, Sky News Online
The pastor at the centre of the Koran-burning row has given a New York imam two hours to contact him about plans to build an Islamic centre near Ground Zero.

Pastor Terry Jones and his colleague Pastor K A Paul read out two telephone numbers live on television and urged the Imam to contact them as soon as possible.

They did not say what would happen if he failed to get in touch by the time the deadline expires just after 8.30 tonight.

Sky News' US correspondent Robert Nisbet, who was at the news conference, said: "This is absolutely extraordinary.

"It appears the pastor has reconsidered his earlier deal over the New York mosque."

He added: "Worryingly, none of the US cable networks showed the press conference - so imam Rauf may not have seen it!"

Pastor Jones had planned to fly to New York tonight in the hope of meeting imam Feisal Abdul Rauf tomorrow - on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

He was forced to reconsider when the imam said he had no plans to meet the pastor, although he was open to seeing anyone "seriously committed to pursuing peace".

Mr Jones tonight said he had "a challenge to give to the imam in New York".

He was speaking utside his church, the Dove World Outreach Centre in Gainesville, Florida.

He then handed over to K A Paul, a controversial Christian preacher who has been praying with him.

Mr Paul said the message to Imam Rauf was "crystal clear".

"There is a confusion going on. We want to clear that confusion," he said.

Mr Paul then gave out his own telephone number and that of another pastor and urged
Imam Rauf to get in touch, either directly or through the media.

Mr Paul said it was legally acceptable for an Islamic centre to be built near the site of the attacks in 2001 that destroyed the twin towers, but not morally acceptable.

"Is it the right thing to burn the Koran? Legally can the pastor burn the Koran tomorrow?" he then asked.

"Legally it's right but is it the right thing to do? No."

Mr Jones initially called off the protest last night, saying he had been promised the centre's location would be changed.

But he then admitted he was reconsidering after it emerged no such commitment had been made by the imam.

More follows, plus video...

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World- ... ero_Mosque

I feel like Im watching a tennis match. This is turning into a big game between the media, pastor and imam.

I wish none of this had ever come up. I do NOT want a mosque or anything that smacks of islam anywhere near Ground Zero. On the other hand I dont understand what the pastor hopes to accomplish by burning korans. I also dont appreciate the imam in so many words threatening us by saying there will be violence against us if they don't get their way.

Whatever is going on in their heads - I feel like we are being played and Im not amused.

I wish none of this had ever come up. I do NOT want a mosque or anything that smacks of islam anywhere near Ground Zero. On the other hand I dont understand what the pastor hopes to accomplish by burning korans. I also dont appreciate the imam in so many words threatening us by saying there will be violence against us if they don't get their way.

Whatever is going on in their heads - I feel like we are being played and Im not amused.

My sentiments exactly!