Florida pastor holds Koran burning ceremony over Iranian clergyman's imprisonment

Washington, Apr 30(ANI): A controversial Florida pastor has held another Koran-burning ceremony outside his church to protest against the imprisonment of a Christian clergyman in Iran.

Jones, who had earlier videotaped a similar Koran-burning ceremony in March 2011, burned several copies of the Koran, alongside an image depicting Prophet Muhammad.

About 20 people attended the ceremony outside the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville in which Jones demanded Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani's release.

Nadarkhani is currently lodged in jail on the charges of apostasy after converting from Islam to Christianity.

The Gainesville Fire Rescue issued a citation against the church, claiming it did not have the required authorization to burn books, Fox News reports.

The pastor, who is the head of the church, however, went ahead with the ceremony despite the Pentagon had reportedly urged him to halt it, as it could put US soldiers worldwide at risk. (ANI)