GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- An anti- that he still plans to go Islamic preacher backed off ahead with the meeting and then threatened to Saturday. reconsider burning the Quran In New York, the leader of on the anniversary of the the Islamic center project, 9/11 attacks, angrily Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, accusing a Muslim leader of issued a statement saying he lying to him Thursday with a was glad Jones had decided promise to move an Islamic not to burn the Quran but center and mosque far from that he had spoken to neither New York's ground zero. The the pastor nor Musri. imam planning the center "We are not going to toy with denied there was ever such a our religion or any other. deal. Nor are we going to barter," The Rev. Terry Jones Rauf said. "We are here to generated an international extend our hands to build firestorm with his plan to peace and harmony." burn the Quran on Saturday, Jones' decision to call off the ninth anniversary of the the Quran burning was made Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist after a firestorm of attacks, and he has been criticism from leaders around under intense pressure to the world. The pope and give it up. President Barack several other Christian Obama urged him to listen to leaders were among those "those better angels" and urging him to reconsider his give up his "stunt," saying plans, which generated a wave it would endanger U.S. troops of anger among Muslims. In and give Islamic terrorists a Afghanistan, hundreds of recruiting tool. Defense Afghans burned an American Secretary Robert Gates took flag and chanted "Death to the extraordinary step of the Christians" to protest calling Jones personally. the planned Quran burning. Standing outside his 50- A reckless publicity 'stunt' member Pentecostal church, Obama told ABC's "Good the Dove Outreach Center, Morning America" in an alongside Imam Muhammad Musri, interview aired Thursday that the president of the Islamic Jones' plan "is completely Society of Central Florida, contrary to our values as Jones said he relented when Americans." Musri assured him the New (3 of 3) York mosque will be moved. "And as a very practical Musri, however, said after matter, I just want him to the news conference the understand that this stunt agreement was only for him that he is talking about and Jones to travel to New pulling could greatly York and meet Saturday with endanger our young men and the imam overseeing plans to women who are in uniform," build a mosque near ground Obama said. zero. Pentagon spokesman Geoff Hours later, Jones said Musri Morrell confirmed that Gates "clearly, clearly lied to us." called Jones about 4 p.m. EST "As of right now, we are not Thursday -- shortly before canceling the event, but we the pastor's announcement. are suspending it," Jones During the "very brief" call, said. Gates expressed "his grave Jones did not say whether the concern that going forward Quran burning could still be with this Quran burning would held Saturday, but he said put the lives of our forces he expected Musri to keep his at risk, especially in Iraq word and expected "the imam and Afghanistan," Morrell in New York to back up one of said. his own men." Morrell said earlier that the Jones had never invoked the decision to issue a personal mosque controversy as a appeal was not easy because reason for his planned it could provoke other protest. extremists "who, all they He cited his belief that the want, is a call from so-and- Quran is evil because it so." After Gates' call to espouses something other than Jones, Morrell said the biblical truth and he said secretary's "fundamental incites radical, violent baseline attitude about this behavior. is that if that phone call But he said Thursday could save the life of one afternoon that he prayed man or woman in uniform it about the decision and was a call worth placing." concluded that if the mosque Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's was moved, it would be a sign ambassador to the U.S., from God to call off the thanked Obama, Gates and Quran burning. other administration (2 of 3) officials for their efforts. "We are, of course, now "This is definitely a against any other group positive moment in showing burning Qurans," Jones said. America's tolerance and "We would right now ask no pluralism and should not go one to burn Qurans. We are unappreciated in the Muslim absolutely strong on that. It world," Haqqani said. is not the time to do it." Jones' Dove Outreach Center Musri thanked Jones and his is independent of any church members "for making denomination. It follows the the decision today to defuse Pentecostal tradition, which the situation and bring to a teaches that the Holy Spirit positive end what has become can manifest itself in the the world over a spectacle modern day. Pentecostals that no one would benefit often view themselves as from except extremists and engaged in spiritual warfare terrorists" who would use it against satanic forces. to recruit future radicals. The pastor was not the only After Jones accused him of person to inject confusion lying, Musri said the pastor into the debate over the New "stretched my words" at the York mosque, which is planned press conference. to go up two blocks north of "I think there was no the trade center site. Donald confusion to begin with. When Trump, who made a fortune in we stepped out of the church, real estate, offered Thursday we had an agreement to meet to buy out a major investor in New York," Musri said. He in the real estate added that Jones "said his partnership that controls the main reason for stopping the site where the 13-story event was that it would Islamic center would be built. endanger the troops overseas, Opponents argue it is Americans traveling abroad insensitive to families and and others around the world." memories of Sept. 11 victims Musri said he told the pastor to build a mosque so close to "that I personally believe where Islamic extremists flew the mosque should not be planes into the World Trade there, and I will do Center and killed nearly 2, everything in my power to 800 people. Proponents make sure it is moved," Musri support the project as a said. "But there is not any reflection of religious offer from there [New York] freedom and diversity and say that it will be moved. All we hatred of Muslims is fueling have agreed to is a meeting." the opposition. Musri said Thursday night
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