JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- The Organization of the Islamic Conference from Saudi Arabia expressed alarm over reports a Florida church was planning a Koran burning.
The ultraconservative, non-denominational Dove World Outreach Center on its Web site said it would burn copies of the Koran on Sept. 11 to mark the ninth anniversary of the al-Qaida attacks on Washington, New York City and Pennsylvania.
The OIC, an international group, said in a statement it was "alarmed and disturbed" by the reports from the Florida church.
The National Association of Evangelicals, the largest evangelical group in the United States, issued a statement calling for the cancellation of the Sept. 11 event, saying it shows disrespect for Muslims and would "exacerbate" tensions between Christians and Muslims.
The Florida church in a statement on its Web site, however, lists 10 reasons it said it believes it should stage the Sept. 11 event. UPI
