Rev. Jones Stands Down; Quran Burning Canceled

(CBS/AP)  Updated at 7:27 p.m. ET

A Florida minister who had created an international furor with his plan to burn the Quran on the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks canceled the event under intense pressure Thursday, saying he agreed to back off after reaching a deal to move the location of a controversial mosque near New York's ground zero.

(Scroll down to watch the Rev. Terry Jones announce the cancellation of his Quran-burning protest)

The Rev. Terry Jones announced his decision Thursday afternoon, standing outside his small church alongside Imam Muhammad Musri, the president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida. However, Musri and the imam planning the New York mosque disputed Jones' contention that a deal had been cut.

A representitive for the New York imam told CBS News that any agreement with Jones is false.

Special Section: September 11 Remembered

Jones now claims the controversial Islamic center near ground zero had always been a key factor in his decision, CBS New Correspondent Kelly Cobiella reports from Gainesville.

"Our thought was the American people do not, as a whole, want the mosque at the ground zero location," Jones told reporters Thursday.

Jones conveyed the importance of the center's location to Musri, the imam told Cobiella.

"He said, 'I don't care if it's moved today or 10 years from now as long as eventually there's no mosque at ground zero,'" Musri told Cobiella. "As Muslims we should be very sensitive to the feelings of the families of the victims of 9/11."

In Afghanistan, the Taliban has used the Quran-burning controversy to win new recruits, CBS News Correspondent Mandy Clark reports from Kabul. CBS News Thursday obtained Taliban leaflets that urged villagers to join them in seeking revenge. Most villagers are illiterate, so the leaflets would have been left with imams to read out in mosques and spread the word that way.

The Taliban has capitalized on the controversy at the holiest time of the year for Muslims, a time when the mosques will be packed with followers, Clark reports.

Quran Burning Coverage

Koran Burning Plans Halted
Pastor Sparks Taliban Leaflets
Quran Burning Canceled by Fla. Pastor
Robert Gates Urged Terry Jones to Call Off Quran Burning
The Perils of Covering the Quran Burning
Taliban Calls on Afghans to Avenge Quran Burning
FBI Agents Visit Fla. Pastor over Quran Burning
Quran Burning Plan Prompts U.S. Travel Warning

Jones, the pastor of a Florida Pentecostal church of 50 members, has said that he believes the Quran is evil because it espouses something other than biblical truth and incites radical, violent behavior among Muslims.

Jones on Thursday said he prayed about the decision and that if the site of the mosque was moved, it would be a sign from God to call off the Quran burning.

"We are, of course, now against any other group burning Qurans," Jones said during the news conference. We would right now ask no one to burn Qurans. We are absolutely strong on that. It is not the time to do it."

His decision comes after a firestorm of criticism from leaders around the world. President Obama, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan and several Christian leaders had urged Jones to reconsider his plans. They said his actions would endanger U.S. soldiers and provide a strong recruitment tool for Islamic extremists. Jones' protest also drew criticism from religious and political leaders from across the Muslim world.

They warned that the plan would put Americans in danger around the world. In Afghanistan, hundreds of angry Afghans burned an American flag and chanted "Death to the Christians" to protest the planned Quran burning.

Musri thanked Jones and his church members "for making the decision today to defuse the situation and bring to a positive end what has become the world over a spectacle that no one would benefit from except extremists and terrorists" who would use it to recruit future radicals.

Russ Blackburn, Gainesville city manager: "It's very good news for Gainesville and good news for everyone involved."

Jones' neighbors in Gainesville, a city of 125,000 anchored by the sprawling University of Florida campus, also have said they disapprove. At least two dozen Christian churches, Jewish temples and Muslim organizations in the city have mobilized to plan inclusive events - some will read from the Quran at their own weekend services.

Jones' Dove Outreach Center is independent of any denomination. It follows the Pentecostal tradition, which teaches that the Holy Spirit can manifest itself in the modern day. Pentecostals often view themselves as engaged in spiritual warfare against satanic forces.

More Quran Burning Coverage

Some Call for "Burn the Stars & Stripes Day"
Quran Burning Legal? Protest Possibly Protected
Pakistan: Beck Should Denounce Quran Burning
Quran Burning Protests in Afghanistan
Pastor Will Not Cancel Quran Burning
Jones: Judaism, Other Religions "Of The Devil"
Hillary Clinton: Quran Burning Not American Way
Clinton: Quran Burning Does Not "Represent America"
Bloomberg: Pastor Has Right to Burn Quran
Angelina Jolie Condemns Planned Quran Burning

[SimpleJewishMan]

As a liberal Democrat,
I believe that burning the American flag is protected free speech

However,
burning the Koran is vile, disgusting and should be demonized

That's how our left-wing double standard works


You see,
We liberals can do anything we want,
You name-calling hate-speech filled Repub Repuke Repigs
have to follow the rules

WE DON'T


:D

[oblomov1]

Unfortunately, Jews tend to be liberal democrats, and voted for Obama, which is why we have a President who bows to foreign Muslim dictators who oppress their people. The liberal mindset of Jews in Nazi Germany caused them to disbelieve that they were being exterminated until it was too late to save themselves. Have you been blind to the butchery of Jews in Israel by Muslim terrorists - men, women and children blown up on buses? Have you been blind to the butchery of Jews around the world by Muslim terrorists? And, you still think the Koran is a holy book worthy of deference and protection? Jews are a highly intelligent and humane race of people. However, they are too trusting and never wake up to the threat of their annihilation until it is too late. The goal of Islam is to exterminate the Jews everywhere in the world. Hopefully, you will wake up before that time.

[Rajah88]

America rejects RADICAL REPUBLICANISM!

[DakotaCountry]

Hey this Guy is a genuis in his timing of doing this. Obama can't say much because he is under fire for maybe being a muslim himself. The Muslims want to build at ground zero. which is horrifying to alot of people however we are told to keep quiet and not upset the sensitive Muslims.
The Muslims have Americans running scared. Rememeber how they threatened to kill the South Park writers for the episode about them, when South Park has used every other race and or religion just for pun with no one else complaining or how about the Cartoon guy they wanted to kill for his harmless funnies. Ok it doesn't matter if he burns the Koran now or not his point is made clear. The true colors of the Muslims have came out just by him treatening to do so. They have proved how their religion is based on terrorism by their response to this story. If someone was burning a bible it wouldn't even make the headlines in the local paper, certainly not cause protesting in the streets. The truth is cross a Muslim and it makes world wide news because people are scared, they know that the radical religion might just blow someone up. The burning of any book is a not a good thing, we should be beyond that, but the Pasters timing is great for showing the world the true colors of the Muslim relgion.
The prefect title for Muslims might be they can be like a Circus Lion, kind, frendly,hard working,well mattered and easy to get along with. However everyone needs to be aware they can and do lash out in a ravishing terror of violence without a seconds notice if their sensitivity is crossed...

[uzair_mohd]

Now its clear that it was just a publicity stunt and nothing else. otherwise a pastor if he is true christain can't even think of burning Quran, may be he didn't know that in Holy Quran Jesus(peace be upon him) is mentioned 25 times by name five time more than prophet Mohammad(PBUH). How can someone who believe in Christ burn the book which give soo much respect to Jesus son of Mary, how disrespectful it would be. Surely Mr Jones is in ignorance may God guide him. I request Muslim and Christain to come together and maintain peace. We are people of Book, we are Brothers.

[uzair_mohd]

thanks

[velma179]

G'night slow... peace be with you, my friend.

I am supposed to be on vacation ,,,ha! Oh well, the guys are coming in off the boat and the stars are coming out. Beautiful ocean of peace...

Take care

and to all a goodnight.

[slappy-jones]

Have a great vacation, velma. Sounds perfect.

[slappy-jones]

Building the mosque isn't an act of hate. Burning the Qu'ran is.

I support the right to both, however.

.

[velma179]

I agree with the right to do it.

I am totally against the motivation of the burning and I support the motivation of the building.

At the heart of all human action is a motive. Far more important than a right expressed is the motive that claims the right.

[Mr-T2T]

Why is this even an issue. If I buy a Bible and want to burn it then who really cares? So if I buy a Quran and want to burn it what is the big deal.
The media has blown this up so big and now everyone is upset. When is Allah going to revenge his book? If he is god why do people need to do all of his dirty work like killing and murder? Could it be that he is no god?

[velma179]

You must not have a very well informed world view.

If you do something that you really don't have to do -- you could protest in any number of other ways -- and it puts fellow countrymen at risk (especially those serving in the military defending our country)-- you just should not do it. Even though you have every right to do it. your motivation is wrong and that makes the act wrong.

This isn't just a media overreach. We live in the world we live in and news is 24/7 nowadays. Just a reality.

Your last comments, however show another side to your mindset -- and those words do not speak well of your heart. Sad

[curse914]

by Nmmrng September 9, 2010 9:09 PM EDT
There is no comparison to Chritian protests, or people claiming to be Christians protesting, and muslim murderers.
Anyone who thinks there is is a very sick individual. The only other people that kill as a form of protst are atheists who have no concern for others. Atheists are the worst mass murderers of all time!

[][][[][]][][][][][][][][][][][]

That is a myth. Stalin was not an Atheist, since he replaced "God" with his face and the State was the priesthood. The State being "god" is no less a religion than Christianity.

The truth is that history is rife with zealots killing free thinkers since they were a threat to the orthodoxy. Don't worry though, since you are a not a free thinker, you are safe, at least in your own flock.

[slappy-jones]

If they are non believers, who are "their own"? They don't share common beliefs, based on your statement that they don't believe at all.

.

[redrock69]

HOW MANY ATHEIST WERE IN THE RELIGIOUS WARS

[slappy-jones]

by armyoftwelve
People outside the USA need to be conditioned with realistic expectations about what a free society is like. If burning books is part of that process, then so be it.

====

Of course I defend his 1st Amendment right.

But you're an idealist if you think you're going to teach extremists.

Welcome to the real world.


.

[curse914]

Twelve should not be teaching anyone anything. Had he been born in the Middle East, he would have already blown himself up for his "god."

[armyoftwelve]

You miss my point about "conditioning people's expectations."

Nothing anyone does is going to placate the islamists. It's the others that need to see this--muslims like me before I became a Christian.

[slappy-jones]

by armyoftwelve
People outside the USA need to be conditioned with realistic expectations about what a free society is like. If burning books is part of that process, then so be it.

====

Of course I defend his 1st Amendment right.

But you're an idealist if you think you're going to teach extremists.

Welcome to the real world.


.