Dove World Outreach Center Quran-burning controversy

In July 2010, Terry Jones, the pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, United States, announced plans to burn 200 copies of the Quran on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The announcement attracted significant media attention and sparked international outrage, particularly throughout the Islamic world. Numerous world leaders urged Jones to cancel the event. His threat led to protests across the Middle East and Asia, resulting in at least 20 deaths. In early September 2010, Jones announced the event was cancelled and pledged not to burn the Quran.^[1]

Despite his earlier statement, on March 20, 2011, Jones held a "trial of the Quran" at his church in Gainesville. During the event, the Quran was declared "guilty" of crimes against humanity and was subsequently burned in the church sanctuary.^[2] The act triggered widespread protests in Afghanistan, including a violent attack in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where demonstrators stormed a United Nations compound, killing at least 30 people, including seven UN staff members, and injuring more than 150 others.^[3]^[4] On April 4, 2011, two U.S. soldiers were killed by an Afghan police officer, an act that was attributed to outrage over the Quran burning.^[5] American news analysts criticized and blamed Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan, for drawing attention to the Quran burning.^[6]

^ Pastor Terry Jones: 'We will not burn the Quran', NBC News (November 9, 2010). Retrieved April 30, 2011.
^ Gainesville's Dove World Outreach Center denies it is responsible for violence over Quran burning, Gainesville.com (April 1, 2011). Retrieved April 30, 2011.
^ Rod Nordland (April 1, 2011). "Afghans Angry Over Florida Quran Burning Kill U.N. Staff". The New York Times.
^ Protests continue in Afghanistan against Quran burning, CNN (April 5, 2011). Retrieved April 30, 2011.
^ "The Afghan 'green-on-blue' attacker seen as a hero". BBC News. March 29, 2013.
^ "Why did Karzai spotlight Terry Jones's Quran burning?", Christian Science Monitor (April 5, 2011). Retrieved April 30, 2011.

[1] Pastor Terry Jones: 'We will not burn the Quran', NBC News (November 9, 2010). Retrieved April 30, 2011.

[Gainesville_Dove_denies-2] Gainesville's Dove World Outreach Center denies it is responsible for violence over Quran burning, Gainesville.com (April 1, 2011). Retrieved April 30, 2011.

[killings-3] Rod Nordland (April 1, 2011). "Afghans Angry Over Florida Quran Burning Kill U.N. Staff". The New York Times.

[4] Protests continue in Afghanistan against Quran burning, CNN (April 5, 2011). Retrieved April 30, 2011.

[BBC_News-5] "The Afghan 'green-on-blue' attacker seen as a hero". BBC News. March 29, 2013.

[6] "Why did Karzai spotlight Terry Jones's Quran burning?", Christian Science Monitor (April 5, 2011). Retrieved April 30, 2011.

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