Terry Jones, the Christian pastor from Florida who drew international attention last year for threatening to burn the Quran on Sept. 11, says he’s coming to Dearborn on April 22 to protest against Islamic law outside the Islamic Center of America, a mosque in Dearborn.
Jones backed down from burning the Quran on Sept. 11 after many urged him not to, including President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who spoke with him over the phone. But on Sunday, Jones led a Quran burning after he set up a mock trial of the Quran, Islam’s holy book.
Jones said Wednesday that he’s not against Muslims, but wants them to “honor, obey, and submit to the Constitution of the United States.” He said he’s worried about sharia, or Islamic law, coming to the U.S.
Dearborn has the highest concentration of Arab-Americans in the U.S. and is known for its established Muslim community. Muslims and other critics have said Jones is promoting hatred and that his fears about Muslims are unwarranted.