Pastor Terry Jones Stages Koran-Burning Ceremony Again

Pastor Terry Jones Burns Koran Copies Again

Controversial American pastor Terry Jones has staged another Koran-burning ceremony to protest the imprisonment of a Christian clergyman in Iran.

Jones, whose previous protests attracted violent reactions from the international community, was joined by another pastor in setting several copies of the Koran on fire in front of their church, Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida on Saturday. An image depicting the Muslim prophet Muhammad was also burned.

During the ceremony, Jones, who heads the church, demanded the release of Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian pastor who is currently in prison for apostasy after converting from Islam to Christianity.

The Pentagon reportedly had urged Jones to reconsider doing the act again as the lives of American soldiers fighting overseas could be put at risk.

Despite the warning, Jones went ahead in burning copies of Islam's holy book which was witnessed by about 20 people and was streamed live online.

Jones held the same ceremony last year which triggered riots and bloody protests in Afghanistan that killed at least seven United Nations workers.