Violence Strikes Afghan Quran-Burning Protests

Florida Pastor Terry Jones may have called off his plan to burn copies of the Quran outside his church on 9/11, but at the behest of religious leaders, Afghans took to the streets Friday to protest the proposed plan. While most remained peaceful, two of the protests outside NATO reconstruction bases escalated into violence, injuring a dozen—three critically—and killing one, 24-year-old Muhammed Daoud. “Ninety percent of people have access to radios and they listen to the news very, very carefully,” said Hafizullah, a well-known religious scholar from Wardak province. “If burning the Quran ever did happen, every foreigner in this country, 100 percent of them, will be in trouble. Every Muslim is responsible to show their reaction to that. It is the right thing to do.” Despite General David Petraeus and President Obama denouncing the plan, many have also blamed the violent protests on the hostile presence of American troops in the region.