Terry Jones defiant despite murders in Afghanistan over Qur'an burning | World news

 

• Saturday 2 April 2011 16.38 BST

• Article history

 

Florida pastor Terry Jones initially desisted after his threat to burn a Qur'an but on 20 March went ahead, sparking violence in Afghanistan. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

The notorious preacher who last month oversaw the burning of a copy of the Qur'an in his Florida church after a mock hearing said anyone blaming him for provoking the mob who killed UN workers was "only making a justification" for murder. Pastor Terry Jones insisted last night that his actions bore no responsibility for the murders in Mazar-e-Sharif.

"We find it very tragic any time that someone is murdered but we do not feel any responsibility for that," he said. "It definitely does indicate that there is a very radical element of Islam. We'd like to see the president of the United States not only condemn these actions but to call on the UN for these people and Muslim-dominated countries to be held accountable."

He also said he may put the Prophet Muhammad on trial in his next "day of judgment". "It is definitely a consideration to stage a trial on the life of Muhammad in the future," he told the Sunday Telegraph.

Jones will come under further intense pressure not to follow through with his suggestion. But despite interventions by President Barack Obama, the US defence secretary, Robert Gates, and General David Petraeus, commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan who warned that such a stunt would endanger US lives, Jones went ahead with his "punishment" of the Qur'an last month.

Despite being mostly ignored at the time by the mainstream media, what came next has sent shockwaves around the world, setting off a wave of violence in Afghanistan that on Friday rocked the United Nations mission there and on Saturday led to more fatal riots.

In the age of the internet and social media, the absence of mainstream coverage was not a problem for Jones and his tiny Dove World Outreach Centre in Gainesville, Florida. After it took place on 20 March, the pastor's fiery punishment for the Qur'an would be streamed live over the internet and preserved via YouTube.

Pictures of the event would be posted on the Facebook page of Jones's new organisation, Stand Up America, which aims to promote his anti-Muslim actions. With the power of the web at his hands, he did not need media coverage to help him create a global crisis. He could do it all by himself.

After soaking the Qur'an in kerosene, an oven lighter was put to its pages. The book instantly caught fire. That act – which has provoked anger and revulsion across the world – came at the end of the latest surreal stunt by Jones in his mission to garner headlines and attention for his anti-Islamic beliefs.

Now he appears determined to continue, despite the killings his actions have helped spark. On Good Friday, Jones and a local group called the Order of the Dragon will protest outside the Islamic Centre of America in Dearborn, Michigan, which has a large Muslim population. Jones has described it as the "Mecca of America". Local religious leaders want Jones to stay away.

As the local newspaper reported, on the lawn in front of Jones's church three signs have been put up that read: "Islam is of the Devil". A passing dissenter appears to have vandalised them, scrawling over the hate speech a new message that stated: "Love all men."