Religious leaders call for solidarity against Quran burning

Twenty religious leaders representing the three religions and a number of denominations stood together on the steps of City Hall at noon Thursday, a show of solidarity against a small church that commissioned Gainesville worldwide attention for its plan to burn the Koran September 11.With the city in the "spiritual center of a storm," the Rev. Larry Reimer, a minister of the United Church of Gainesville, has called on citizens to rally Muslims "at a time when so much venom is directed towards them. "
While the national debate "Ground Zero" mosque was not mentioned by name, the discussion increasingly outspoken about Islam in this country was clearly implied.
The common enemy said, however, was Terry Jones, senior pastor at Dove World Outreach Center, a church of 50 members nestled between the quiet areas in northwest Gainesville.
To mark the ninth anniversary of 9 / 11 terrorist attacks, Jones and his congregation had planned to burn the Muslim holy book on the lawn of their church.
The move has made international headlines and prompted a number of death threats.
While Muslim leaders in Cairo Orlando Jones sentenced, some have also condemned threats of violence against him.
In a statement released Wednesday and signed by 15 imams and Ahmed Al Mehdawi the Islamic Center of Gainesville, the American Muslim Association of North America has called on all Muslims, friends and associates to adopt a plan for all sorts of violence against the Dove World Church in Gainesville, Florida. "