Sept. 9: Hundreds of angry Afghans burned an American flag and chanted “Death to the Christians” on Thursday to protest plans by a small American church to torch copies of the Muslim holy book on the anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks. Local officials in Mahmud Raqi, the capital of the Kapisa province some 100 kilometres northeast of Kabul, estimated that up to 4,000 people took part in the protest. But Nato spokesman James Judge said the protest numbered between 500 to 700 people.

“The Afghan national police prevented the protest from overwhelming an Afghan military outpost,” and dispersed the demonstration, he told the Associated Press. Judge added that the Quran burning is “precisely the kind of activity the Taliban uses to fuel their propaganda efforts to reduce support” for coalition forces.

US President Barack Obama on Thursday condemned the plans by a Florida church to burn copies of the Quran on the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attack, saying it could endanger the lives of US military personnel serving in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

If the church went ahead with its plans, the burning could endanger US military personnel serving in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Mr Omaba said.

“Look, this is a recruitment bonanza for Al Qaeda. You could have serious violence in places like Pakistan and Afghanistan. This could increase the recruitment of individuals who’d be willing to blow themselves up in American cities, or European cities,” Mr Obama said in an interview to ABC television.

Also Pakistan on Thursday also urged Interpol secretary general Ronald K. Noble to stop Florida’s “insane” priest Terry Jones from burning the Quran. In a letter written to the secretary general, interior minister Rehman Malik drew attention of the Interpol towards the “very serious and grave” issue in which the priest has declared to burn the holy book of Muslims publicly, which is a crime against humanity and falls under international offence as it would inflict the international peace and harmony.

Religious and political leaders across the Muslim world, as well as several US officials, have asked the church to call off the plan, warning it would lead to violence against Americans. The Rev. Terry Jones, of the Dove Outreach Centre in Gainesville, Florida, has vowed to go ahead with the bonfire on Saturday, even though he has been denied the required permit. Iran’s foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki also warned of repercussions, saying the burning would “face reactions by the world’s Muslims as well as followers of other religions,” according to the official IRNA news agency.