US pastor in U-turn on Koran burning

THE US pastor who planned to burn copies of the Koran on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on New York last night backed down claiming he had got guarantees over a planned mosque in the city.

Pastor Terry Jones said he had been given assurances by the Imam of New York, Feisal Abdul Rauf, that he would ensure a mosque planned for close to Ground Zero would be relocated. However, sources close to the Imam said he had given no cast-iron commitment to move the cultural centre.

Terry Jones said he was due to fly to New York to discuss the relocation with the Imam on Saturday.