10 September,2010 04:27 AM IST | | Agencies
Rev Terry Jones, a Florida pastor, called off his controversial plan to burn copies of the Quran on the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
According to CNN, Jones' assertions that an Islamic center and mosque planned near ground zero in New York will be relocated and that he had a planned meeting with its visionary were challenged after a news conference.
Jones, pastor of the Gainesville, Florida-based Dove World Outreach Center, said that he will meet on Saturday with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf in New York.
But Imam Muhammad Musri of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, who appeared with Jones, later said details of any meeting had not been confirmed.
Rauf issued a statement later Thursday.
"I am glad that Pastor Jones has decided not to burn any Qurans. However, I have not spoken to Pastor Jones or Imam Musri. I am surprised by their announcement. We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we going to barter. We are here to extend our hands to build peace and harmony."