'Burn-a-Koran' pastor gives imam two-hour meeting deadline

The pastor who planned an “International Burn-a-Koran Day” tonight publicly challenged the imam overseeing plans for a controversial Islamic centre in New York to start talks.

Pastor Terry Jones had planned to fly to New York tonight and hoped to meet Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf tomorrow – on the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the US – to talk about unhappiness about the centre being sited close to Ground Zero.

He was forced to reconsider when Imam Rauf said he had no plans to meet the pastor although he was open to seeing anyone “seriously committed to pursuing peace”.

Mr Jones tonight said he had “a challenge to give to the imam in New York”.

Standing outside his church, the Dove World Outreach Centre in Gainesville, Florida, he then handed over to K A Paul, a controversial Christian preacher who has been praying with the pastor.

Mr Paul said the message to Imam Rauf was “crystal clear”.

“There is a confusion going on. We want to clear that confusion,” he said.

Mr Paul gave out his own telephone number and that of another pastor and urged Imam Rauf to get in touch, either directly or through the media to discuss whether he was prepared to meet Mr Jones. He was given a two-hour deadline.

Mr Paul said it was legally acceptable for the Islamic centre to be built near the Ground Zero site of the Twin Towers destroyed in the 2001 attacks but not morally acceptable.

“Is it the right thing to burn the Koran? Legally can the pastor burn the Koran tomorrow?” he then asked.

“Legally it’s right but is it the right thing to do? No.”

His remarks suggested the pastor was standing by his earlier decision to cancel the bonfire planned for tomorrow.

Mr Jones initially called off the protest last night, saying he had been promised the centre’s location would be changed, but then admitted he was reconsidering after it emerged no such commitment had been made by the imam.

He today told CBS breakfast television programme 'The Early Show' that the stunt had been cancelled and he would fly to New York tonight with the hope of meeting the imam.