Germany bans US pastor Jones amid rising anti-US protests
American pastor Terry Jones (file photo)
Sun Sep 16, 2012 6:1PM GMT
6
The German government has barred American pastor Terry Jones from entering the country amid rising protests against an anti-Islam film made in the United States.
A spokesman for the German Interior Ministry said on Sunday that pastor Jones’ visit would be contrary to the "interest in maintaining public order."
It comes after a German far-right, Pro Deutschland, invited the extremist pastor to the country in order to attend a Berlin screening of the anti-Islam movie produced by an Israeli-American in the US.
The radical Florida pastor rose to prominence after he burnt copies of the Holy Quran in public, sparking massive demonstrations in several countries.
Meanwhile, pastor Jones promoted the blasphemous movie that disrespects Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and depicts Islam as an oppressive religion. He even said that he decided to show the film during a prayer service.
German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich also said he would not allow the extremist group to show the insulting film. Adding, "Such groups and organizations only want to provoke Germany's Muslims."
Anti-US demonstrations, which began on September 11 over the anti-Islam film, have been held across the Muslim world, with protesters storming US embassies and torching US flags.
Muslims in Iran, Turkey, Sudan, Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kashmir, Pakistan, India, Iraq, Gaza, Morocco, Syria, Kuwait, Nigeria, Kenya, Australia, Britain, the United States, France, Belgium, and some other countries have held many demonstrations to condemn the insulting movie.