Kabul: The top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan warned today that an American church's threat to burn copies of the Muslim holy book the Quran could endanger
US troops in the country and Americans worldwide.
"Images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan - and around the world - to inflame public opinion and incite violence," Gen David Petraeus said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
His comments followed a protest yesterday by hundreds of Afghans over the plans by Gainesville, Florida-based Dove World Outreach Center - an evangelical Christian church that espouses anti-Islam philosophy - to burn copies of the Quran on church grounds to mark the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States that provoked the Afghan war.
In 2005, 15 people died and scores were wounded in riots in Afghanistan sparked by a story in Newsweek magazine alleging that interrogators at the US detention center in Guantanamo Bay placed copies of the Quran in washrooms and had flushed one down the toilet to get inmates to talk. Newsweek later retracted the story.
Members of the crowd briefly pelted a passing US military convoy with stones, but were ordered to stop by rally organisers.
Petraeus warned images of burning Qurans could be used to incite anti-American sentiments similar to the pictures of prisoner abuse at Iraq's Abu Graib prison.
US troops in the country and Americans worldwide.
"Images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan - and around the world - to inflame public opinion and incite violence," Gen David Petraeus said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
His comments followed a protest yesterday by hundreds of Afghans over the plans by Gainesville, Florida-based Dove World Outreach Center - an evangelical Christian church that espouses anti-Islam philosophy - to burn copies of the Quran on church grounds to mark the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States that provoked the Afghan war.
In 2005, 15 people died and scores were wounded in riots in Afghanistan sparked by a story in Newsweek magazine alleging that interrogators at the US detention center in Guantanamo Bay placed copies of the Quran in washrooms and had flushed one down the toilet to get inmates to talk. Newsweek later retracted the story.
Advertisement
Members of the crowd briefly pelted a passing US military convoy with stones, but were ordered to stop by rally organisers.
Advertisement
Petraeus warned images of burning Qurans could be used to incite anti-American sentiments similar to the pictures of prisoner abuse at Iraq's Abu Graib prison.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
5 Best Fat Burners For Belly Fat 2024: Natural Fat Burners To Reduce Belly Fat Woman, 39, Dies On First Day Of Burning Man Festival, Cause Under Investigation Starbucks In US' New Mexico Nicknamed "Charbucks" After 2 Arson Attacks Celebrated "Russian Spy" Whale Hvaldimir Found Dead In Norway: Report INDIA's "Hit With Footwear" Protest In Mumbai Over Shivaji Statue Collapse Video: Man Sits On Chair In Middle Of UP Road, Gets Hit By Truck Israel Recovers Bodies Of Six Hostages, Including US Citizen, From Gaza Tunnel INDIA's "Hit With Footwear" Protest In Mumbai Over Shivaji Statue Collapse Woman Posts Pic Of Auto Rickshaw With A Window, Internet Calls It "Cool" Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.