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Call Emerges for "Burn the Stars and Stripes Day"

A radical Islamic activist and lawyer in the U.K. has called on Muslims worldwide to burn U.S. flags outside American embassies on Sept. 11, a "direct retaliation" against a Florida church's plan to burn Qurans on the same day.

Anjem Choudary, former leader of the banned hardline Islamic group Islam4UK, told CBS News in London he was calling for, "an international burn the Stars and Stripes day" on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Choudary, who regularly organizes small demonstrations in Britain calling for the implementation of Islamic law, was the first public figure -- and a likely one -- to call for retaliation against Gainesville, Fla. Reverend Terry Jones' plans to burn at least 100 Qurans.

Above: Anjem Choudary (right) leads a demonstration of fundamentalist Muslims against then-Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf in front of the Pakistani Embassy in London, July 11, 2007.

Anticipating a volatile reaction from the world's Muslims if Jones' church goes ahead with the stunt on Saturday, the State Department issued a warning to all U.S. embassies on Wednesday advising them to assess their security measures and brace for potential backlash.

Rev. Jones has ignored pleas from the Obama administration and U.S. military commanders to abandon his plans, telling CBS News on Wednesday that he felt the act was still "very necessary" as a warning to Islamic radicals, who he feels are attempting to gain political clout and push their agenda in the U.S.

More Quran Burning Coverage:

Quran Burning Legal? Protest Possibly Protected
Pastor Will Not Cancel Quran Burning
Quran Burning Protests in Afghanistan
Jones: Judaism, Other Religions "Of The Devil"
AG Holder: Quran Burning Idiotic, Dangerous
Pastor: I Know Quran Burning is Insulting
Extended Interview: Rev. Terry Jones
Terry Jones, The Man Behind "Burn A Quran Day"
Petraeus: Burning Qurans Could Endanger Troops
Fla. Church Denied Permit to Burn Qurans

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