International Protests Begin Ahead of Sept. 11 Koran Burning Event in Florida

Terry Jones, pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla. (MyFoxOrlando.com)

International protests have begun -- with some demonstrators threatening jihad -- in advance of a Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Koran on Sept. 11.

Roughly 100 Indonesian Islamists protested outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta on Friday, Agence France-Press reported, with some threatening holy war if the plan to burn Korans on the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks comes to fruition at the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla.

"No one will be able to control this reaction," Roni Ruslan, of Hizbut Tahrir, a radical organization than advocates Islamic law, told Agence France-Press. "We urge the U.S. government and Christian leaders to stop the crazy plan from this small sect. It's an insult to Islam and to 1.5 billion Muslims around the world."

Protesters at the U.S. Embassy shouted chants of "God is greater" while holding signs that read "Destroy Burners of the Koran," among others, according to AFP.

Meanwhile, Pastor Terry Jones has said he intends to proceed with plans to burn the holy text next month. The church's website even features a blog posting that provide visitors "Ten Reasons to Burn a Koran," including its teaching that Jesus Christ was "NOT the Son of God" and claims that Islam is "not compatible" with democracy and human rights.

"The attitude towards women in Islam as inferior possessions of men has led to countless cases of mistreatment and abuse for which Moslem men receive little or no punishment, and in many cases are encouraged to commit such acts, and are even praised for them," read another. "This is a direct fruit of the teachings of the Koran."

FBI, state and local law enforcement agencies are monitoring the threats of violence promised if the church follows through on the event, Gainesville Police Department Maj. Rick Hanna told the Gainesville Sun.

"We're on top of this, and we are taking it serious," Hanna told the paper, adding that agencies will have "all hands on deck."

Evan Kohlmann, who tracks radical militant websites for the New York-based firm Flashpoint Global Partners, told the Gainesville Sun a homicide bomber has threatened to drive a truck into the church. Others have discussed setting the building on fire, he said.

"It's hard to tell how serious the discussions are, but they're talking about it," he told the paper.

One posting on a jihadist website indicated a desire to bomb the church if Jones' plan comes to fruition, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

"Now, I wish to bomb myself in this church as revenge for the sake of Allah's talk," the posting by an individual identifying himself as Abu Dujanah read. "And here I register my name here that I want to be an intended martyr."