POSTED: Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 2:26am
UPDATED: Thursday, September 9, 2010 - 6:24am
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is the latest official to condemn the plans of a Florida church leader to burn copies of the Quran on September 11.
The Reverend Terry Jones insists the Constitution protects his right to publicly burn the book considered to be holy by Muslims. He also says he's received death threats and has taken to wearing a gun.
Speaking at a dinner to break the daily fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Clinton said she's heartened by those who have condemned what she terms "this disrespectful, disgraceful act."
Jones' plans for an "International Burn-a-Quran Day" were earlier criticized by Attorney General Eric Holder, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs and General David Petraeus. The U.S. commander in Afghanistan says "images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists" there.