A Florida pastor who said he intended to burn 2,998 Qurans in
observation of September 11 posted bail on Thursday after being
arrested.
Terry Jones and Wayne Sapp of the Dove World Outreach Center in
Gainesville were arrested after they proceeded with their plan to
publicly burn the Muslim holy books after they had been denied a
permit to do so.
According
to the AP, Jones and Sapp face a felony charge of unlawful
conveyance of fuel. Jones also faces a misdemeanor charge of
unlawful open-carry of a firearm.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office said that the men towed the
books, which had been soaked with kerosene, inside a large grill to a
public park, where they had intended to burn them. Each book was
meant to represent a victim of the September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks.
The church has threatened to destroy Qurans in the past.
A large sign viewable to passersby declaring that “Islam is of
the Devil” was posted by the church on its property.
The church also made headlines three years ago when it protested
the campaign of former Gainesville mayor Craig Lowe, the city's first
openly gay leader. Back then, the sign read “No Homo Mayor.”
(Related: FL
church aims anti-gay attack at candidate Craig Lowe.)
Last year, Jones hung an effigy of President Barack Obama and a
Gay Pride flag.
(Related: Terry
Jones hangs Obama in effigy with Gay Pride flag.)