Mayor Denounces Pastor's Plan To Burn Korans

LOS ANGELES (KFWB 980) — When Terry Jones puts a match to the Muslim holy book, the Quran, in Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday, he won't have much of a crowd if city officials have
anything to say about it.

Jones is the non-denominational minister of the Dove World Outreach Center who set off a firestorm when he announced "International Burn a Koran Day" to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. He says he is protesting radical Islam.

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Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe says Jones doesn't represent "the true nature of Gainesville."
"What we are hoping is there will not be counter-demonstrations around the site and people
will avoid the area," Lowe said. He called the church "a very tiny church," citing a Gainesville Sun report that 30 people attended a recent service.

Jones said Tuesday that he is praying over his plan but he will proceed with it despite objections by Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan; the White House; and the State Department.

Lowe said police will check driver's licenses on the only road into the area. Motorists and pedestrian will be allowed to enter, though, police Cpl. Tscharna Senn said.