Quran-burning pastor jailed in Michigan

DETROIT: The US pastor whose burning of a Quran sparked deadly violence in Afghanistan was briefly jailed in a heavily Islamic suburb Friday after a court banned his protest outside a mosque.

A local judge jailed pastor Terry Jones of Gainesville, Florida and his associate Wayne Sapp after a court found their planned protest outside the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, Michigan, could lead to violence.

During his court appearance, Jones argued that the Quran "promotes terrorist activities around the world." He also insisted that his right to protest against Islam was protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. "The First Amendment does us no good if it confines us to saying what is popular," he pointed out.

But Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad testified that his department had received information about serious threats made against Jones from local residents, arguing that his protest could lead to violence if allowed.

Prosecutor Robert Moran argued that the protest had nothing to do with the First Amendment and at stake were security and peace in the community.