Terry Jones, the Florida pastor who is planning a Koran-burning rally to protest the 9/11 terrorist attacks, plans to go through with the event despite a warning from the U.S. commander in Afghanistan that the protest could harm American soldiers.
"We have firmly made up our mind, but at the same time, we are definitely praying about it," said Jones, who heads the Dove World Outreach Church in Gainesville, Fla., told CNN
Jones said his group is "weighing the situation."
However, the pastor said his fight against radical Islam won't be stopped.
"Once in awhile, you see that in the Bible, there are instances where enough is enough and you stand up," Jones said.
U.S. officials and Muslims across the world have expressed outrage over the event.
Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said Monday that burning Korans could put U.S. troops in danger.
"It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort in Afghanistan," Petraeus said. "Were the actual burning to take place, the safety of our soldiers and civilians would be put in jeopardy and accomplishment of the mission would be made more difficult," he said.
Muslims in Afghanistan protested outside a mosque in Kabul Monday, chanting "Death to America" a day after thousands of Indonesians demonstrated outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta.
Jones said his rally is aimed at the "radical" Muslims, not moderate Muslims.
"Our message is a message of warning to the radical element of Islam."
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