US President Barack Obama on Friday called on Americans to accept all religions, saying the United States is not at war with Islam but with those who use the faith to justify terrorist attacks, dpa reported.
Obama's comments came one day after a Florida pastor, under immense political and public pressure, dropped plans to burn Korans to mark the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. US officials, including Obama, expressed outrage over the plans.
"We are not at war with Islam," Obama said. "We are at war against terrorist organizations that have distorted Islam or used the banner of Islam to engage in their destructive acts."
Al-Qaeda
The Obama administration feared that Florida pastor Terry Jones would put US lives at risk if he followed through on burning the Korans and that it would boost the recruitment efforts of extremists groups like al-Qaeda.
Jones had planned to carry out the burning at his Dove World Outreach Centre church in Gainesville, Florida on Saturday. Jones backed down after widespread outrage and a direct call by Defence Secretary Robert Gates to abandon the plans.
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