In 2010 the pastor of a 60-person congregation near Gainesville, Fla. announced he would host an international 鈥淏urn a Quran Day鈥� to commemorate the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and protesting 鈥�.鈥�
Pastor Terry Jones鈥檚 announcement was met with international outcry, and US Gen. David Petraeus warned that the burning of the holy book could put US troops at risk in Afghanistan. Mr. Jones cancelled the 2010 event, but thousands of Afghans, reportedly encouraged by the Taliban, took to the streets burning tires and chanting 鈥淒eath to America.鈥�
Less than a year later, on March 20, 2011, Jones followed through with burning the Quran while hosting an 鈥淚nternational Judge the [Quran] Day,鈥� where he put the text 鈥渙n trial鈥� and burned copies of the holy book. Though the event initially garnered little media attention in the US, it was condemned by the Pakistani government and when video of the burning was posted online it led to five straight days of large-scale protests and violence across Afghanistan.
In one of the most violent reactions, a mob of more than 100 people stormed the United Nations compound in northern Afghanistan and killed seven foreigners, including four Nepalese guards and four Afghans. The next day nine more people died in mob-related violence in Kandahar.
Jones continues to rile people with his controversial statements on Islam, with some linking him to the recent 鈥淚nnocence of Muslims鈥� film, according to the Daily Mail.
